Life Changes Unexpectedly
by Neurosthedream
Summary: Tony and Ziva have been married for five years with a daughter, Lila Caityln DiNozzo. One day at a crime scene they come across some information that will change their life.
1. The Weekend

**[A/N So this had been floating around in my head for a while and I finally decided to type it up. I'm hoping to continue this but that all depends on how generous you are with reviews]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS **

It was Friday morning and there had been no knew cases called in. The team took advantage of the slow morning to work on some paperwork that had piled up from the week. But Tony couldn't concentrate he would keep glancing over to Ziva's desk. Staring for minutes at a time while she worked diligently. Tony couldn't help but notice how gorgeous she looked while she worked. Her hair pulled up in a half ponytail while the rest cascaded down past her shoulder, the way she bit the nail on her left index finger, and the way her brows furrowed from staring intently at her paperwork. _Man I'm the luckiest man alive. _Tony DiNozzo was head over heels for Ziva DiNozzo.

Ziva always had a knack for knowing when someone was staring at her and she could feel Tony's eyes burning holes in her. She glanced up and there he was chin resting on his right hand drooling a little while he stared at her. Ziva suppressed a chuckle, "Tony paperwork."

Tony was startled and jumped out his daze "on it boss." He said through pure reflex. But when he realized it was Ziva who had said it he mouthed 'I love you'. She smiled, she couldn't believe that she had been so lucky as to have him for a husband, 'love you' she mouthed back.

Both were too wrapped up in their moment that they had failed to hear the phone ring, Gibbs walking in, and informing them that there was a case. "DiNozzo! David!" Gibbs yelled several times trying to get the attention of his two senior field agents. But the third time he called their names he was beyond frustrated. When he had first found out about them he wasn't too thrilled after all they had broke one of his rules. Maybe the most important one, but after a while he had grown to accept it because he knew that they were perfect for each other not just as work partners but as life partners too. They had promised to keep it professional when they were at work but sometimes they would slip here and there. He didn't mind it if they were doing paperwork or if it was a slow day but when they weren't listening while he was informing them about a case then that's when there were problems. "David! DiNozzo!" He yelled once again hoping this would be the last time he would need to call their name.

"Yes boss," again Tony responded on instinct but this time he knew it was Gibbs who had barked at them. Tony's eyes never left Ziva, which in turn angered Gibbs. He needed his agent's full attention. The murder of a colonel was not to be taken lightly. But Tony continued to stare at his wife with not a care in the world. Ziva on the other had immediately turned to look at Gibbs Instantly blushing from the embarrassment that their boss had caught them having an intimate moment when they should have been paying attention to what he was informing them on. If she were still Mossad nothing of the sort would have ever happened but thankfully she wasn't the same person she was five years ago.

"Dead petty officer, grab your gear." Gibbs barked now extremely pissed off that he had had to repeat himself several times to this two agents. Ziva and Tony quickly grabbed their gear and followed McGee and Gibbs into the elevator before their boss closed it on them. They both made it with barely enough time but as soon as they hopped onto the elevator they felt a hard hand slap against the back of their heads. "Don't let something like this every happen again.

"Yes boss," both replied simultaneously. But inside they were both thinking the same thing, _can't guarantee that. _

Gibbs took the wheel allowing the team to make it to the crime scene in record time. Well with the exception of Ducky and Palmer who were still a ways away. Like always Jimmy seemed to always manage to misread the directions and get them lost. As soon as they arrived Gibbs began shouting orders, "Ziva photos, DiNozzo sketches, McGee with me!" He walked off and headed towards the residence.

McGee grabbed his backpack, flung it over his left shoulder and ran to keep up with Gibbs. Ziva and Tony walked to the back of the truck to grab their backpacks as well. When both entered they were greeted with the body of Francesco Castellano facing upright on the bottom of the stairs. There was blood splattered on the walls and stairs. He had two gun shot wounds on his chest and one in his left shoulder. Ducky declared time of death to be 4 hours ago.

Ziva left to take pictures of everything that would be classified as evidence: the blood splatter, the body, the shell casings, and any other evidence they found throughout the house. Then proceeded to snoop around the home with Tony bagging and tagging evidence.

Once they had finished bagging all evidence they went to look for Gibbs. "DiNozzos I want you to go question the neighbor."

"On it boss," Tony took Ziva's hand so they could walk over to question the Castellano's neighbor.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs yelled at them. He didn't want them acting affectionately while at work. They were on the job not a date.

"Sorry boss won't happen again" Tony, yelled back as he and Ziva walked off. Once outside, where they thought Gibbs couldn't see them, they retook each other's hands until they reached the front door. Tony gave it one last tight squeeze before he allowed Ziva to let go of his hand.

"Next time we should not hold hands" at this tony frowned. Ziva laughed at his facial expression but added " or at least wait until we are out of Gibbs's sight." His face lit up again and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Tony DiNozzo was such a big baby but she loved being married to him and that she could hold his hand or kiss him whenever she wanted, will as long as Gibbs wasn't around, because he was hers.

The interview had gone smoothly. Neither Tony nor Ziva had suspected her. She had a solid alibi that Tony called to confirm. It checked out that she had been at work until twenty minutes ago. Mrs. Watkins, the neighbor, had not even known what had happened next door until they had gone to interview her. "Boss, Mrs. Watkins has an alibi she left her office an hour ago. The last time she saw him was at 0800 when she left for work. He was headed to drop off his daughter at daycare. She also informed us that a man had been visiting Castellano everyday for the past two weeks and almost every visit resulted in yelling and door slamming. Ya thinking a deal gone wrong, boss?"

"Looks like it, DiNozzo. Okay I want you and Ziva to head back to the Navy yard and help McGee dig up anything on Castellano's past, his phone records, who's he's been in contact with, and bank statements." McGee, Ducky and Palmer had already headed back with the body. Gibbs had stayed back to wait for his two agents and to look over anything they might have missed.

"Gibbs, what about the little girl? We can not just leave her at the daycare." Ziva's maternal instincts were kicking in as she worried about this little girl.

"She has a mother for a reason David." Gibbs didn't know what was wrong with his two agents two. They were just not all here today.

"No mother or relatives in the area, according to Mrs. Watkins she died of cancer two months ago."

Gibbs had a soft side for kids. He always thought of Kelly and couldn't say no if he knew there was a way he could help them. Gibbs sighed "Okay Ziva take Tony with you to pick up the girl and bring her back to the Navy yard so we can take it from there. On your way call McGee and have him tell you the location of the daycare, name and age of the girl. No extra stops along the way got it?" Gibbs looked between his two agents.

"Got it boss," Tony smirked.

"I mean it, DiNozzo." Gibbs head slapped Tony for already thinking of defying his orders.

Before both left the Castellano residence they called McGee so that they could know in which direction to head.

"Probie, do you have that information for us?" Tony rushed McGee, they knew if they didn't get a move on it Gibbs would yell at them and make them stay late. The last thing Tony DiNozzo wanted to do on a Friday night. Tonight was movie night and what he wanted more than anything was to go home and snuggle with his wife and daughter.

"Yes the Colonel's daughter's name is Francesca Castellano and she is at Sunny Side daycare. Sending the coordinates to Ziva's PDA now." You could hear typing in the background.

As soon as McGee had sent the coordinates to Ziva's PDA tony sped to the daycare driving almost as bad as Gibbs. On arrival Tony was very serious. He didn't make any movie references or jokes. "Tony what is wrong?" Ziva asked worried at the fact that Tony was acting strange.

"How on earth do we tell a five year old that her father is dead?" That was always the worst part of the job. When kids were involved it was never easy explaining to them that their parent(s) were dead. Especially since he himself was now a father. He would always imagine his daughter, which in fact made it harder to tell them.

"The best way that we can without making it traumatizing." Tony nodded and Ziva took his hand. They walked into the daycare not knowing that their life was about to change.

"Hello sir, ma'am, how may I help you?" The over cheery receptionist asked.

"We are here to pick up a Francesca Castellano." Ziva spoke up with a hint of a question in her tone.

"Only family members are allowed to pick up the children." The women responded eyeing them suspiciously.

Both Tony and Ziva flashed their badge. "Special agent DiNozzo and this is," he pointed to Ziva "Special agent DiNozzo. We are under federal orders to pick up the daughter of the deceased Colonel Castellano. If you would like to graciously take us to her or we could burst through the door. Your choice?" Tony had not meant to get rude but he was in no mood to deal with people today.

The cheery woman was no longer cheery. There was no reason for him to get rude she was just doing her job in ensuring the safety of the children. "Certainly, right this way," she wore a fake smile and lead them trough some double doors that lead to a room full of kids. "Can you bring me Francesca?" The receptionist asked a Ms. Short. She was no longer cheery and was now agitated. She did not want to hand the girl over to them.

A few minutes later the women walked over with a gorgeous little girl. She had long, wavy, black hair, pale skin, and mind captivating green eyes. She looked so fragile and innocent. How were they supposed to tell her that her dad had died? Tony did not like what he was about to do. The girl walked over and stared at Tony and Ziva with curious eyes.

"Hi Francesca I'm Spec- Tony and she's Ziva." He introduced himself casually so as to gain the girls trust and not intimidate her. He held out his hand so she could shake it. But instead she pulled away and got closer to Ms. Short, the lady that had walked her over.

"Where's my daddy?"

Tony didn't know how to tell her and started to get nervous. Thankfully Ziva stepped in. "We are going to take you to where your dad is." Technically it wasn't a lie her father was at NCIS. They had just failed to inform her that he was no longer alive.

The girl seemed reluctant to go with them. "It is okay we are NCIS agents. Do you know what that is?"

The girl nodded. "Mmhm that's like navy cops." Tony cringed at that, he hated when people said that they were like navy cops but at this moment he didn't care as long as they were able to gain the trust of this little girl to whom they were about to give the worst news of her life.

Ziva kneeled down so that she was eye level with the girl. "Exactly, sweetie. We were ordered to come get you and take you to where he is." Ziva held out her hand, the girl went to her; she picked her up and carried her in her arms.

Francesca stared at Ziva and then at Tony debating on whether to ask her question or not. "Is my daddy okay?"

Tony turned to look at Ziva. He didn't know what to say in this situation. But he did know that it probably wasn't a good idea to keep lying to her. In the end it would just harm her. Ziva just nodded giving him the thumbs up to tell her the truth.

"Francesca your daddy. Well he is sleeping forever." That was the only way Tony knew how to explain it. He couldn't flat out say. Well your dad is dead.

Francesca frowned and placed her head on Ziva's chest. "Like my mommy?" She whispered.

"Exactly like your mommy?" She had no family left and she was only five years old.

"So, he with mommy now? They both leave me?"

"Yes, he is with your mom and no they did not want to leave you." Francesca began to cry burrowing her head against Ziva's chest. Ziva rubbed the little girls back trying to provide some sort of comfort. From experience Ziva knew it was painful to lose your family. Even more so when you were just five years old and thought that your parents abandoned you.

Tony and Ziva placed Francesca into the car. They looked at each other thinking the same thing. _What had they just gotten themselves into?_

On the way back to the navy yard Francesca had cried herself to sleep. She was very confused and scared. Tony kept staring back in the rear view mirror to check to on her. He just couldn't imagine what it must feel like for a five year old to lose both of her parents.

Ziva carried a sleeping Francesca from the car and into the building. Feeling the warmth of two slender but muscular arms pick her up Francesca cried out "mommy?" She just rubbed her back and glanced over at Tony worriedly. This girl desperately needed her parents.

Francesca woke up shortly after and noticed that her mom or dad weren't with her. "I want my mommy and daddy!" She cried pounding against Ziva's chest. Ziva just hugged her tighter trying to stop the tantrum. After a few minutes she was able to calm her down. "I sorry Ziva" Francesca apologized.

"It's okay sweetie." Ziva wiped away the little girls tears with her thumb. "How about we go meet the team?" She gave Francesca a reassuring smile to try and cheer her up. Though nothing would cheer her up at this point.

Tony and Ziva headed up to the squad room with Francesca in her arms. She felt safe in her arms and she wanted nothing more than to just be held. She really missed her mom and right now Ziva was the closest thing she had even if it was just for this moment.

When they reached the squad room McGee and Gibbs were at their desk working on the case. Tony went straight to his desk and Ziva walked over to Gibbs to introduce him to the little girl. She stood in front of his desk carrying Francesca on her hip. "Gibbs this is Francesca. Francesca this Special agent Gibbs."

"Hi" Francesca said shyly, waving her hand but maintaining her head on Ziva's shoulder.

"Ziva I want you to take her down to Abby's lab I need you up here working the case." Ziva nodded and headed down towards Abby's lab. She didn't want to leave her with Abby. The little girl had grown attached to her and if she wanted to stay with her she would let her.

"Hi Abby" Ziva greeted the Goth who proceeded to skate around her lab.

"Who's this cutie pie?" Abby came over and pinched the girl's cheeks.

"Francesca," again greeted Abby the same way she had greeted Gibbs. Right now the only people she trusted were Ziva and tony.

"Sweetie, you are going to have to stay down here with Abby for a while." Ziva placed her on the stool next to Abby.

"Why can't I go with you? I want to stay with you." She asked tears already forming in her eyes.

"Boss's orders. But do not worry I will try to convince him and come get you okay?" Francesca nodded in agreement but continued to sniff away tears. Ziva left and Abby proceeded to attempt to distract Francesca by showing her around the lab and giving her Bert the hippo to make her laugh as he farted.

An hour later Gibbs walked down from the director's office. He seemed a bit furious. But then again with Gibb's you could never tell. "McGee call a social worker so that they can come get Francesca."

"But boss it's Friday afternoon they are going to place her somewhere for the time being. It won't be until Monday that they will actually start to look for homes for her. Isn't there anything you can do?" Tony didn't want to send this girl off she had been through enough to last a lifetime.

"What do you suppose I do DiNozzo?" Gibbs hated it just as much as Tony. He didn't want to send Francesca with a social worker if it could be avoided. But he couldn't take her. His home was not suited for a child and he didn't want to force her onto Tony and Ziva since they already had a little girl of their own, his grandchild.

"Ziva and I could take her for the weekend, boss. That way she can be comfortable while they sort it out. Plus she's grown quite fond of Ziva." Tony spat quickly surprised at him self for taking leadership.

"Are you sure DiNozzo I mean you have Lila to take care of?" Gibbs turned to look over at Ziva, "Ziveer are you okay with this?"

Before Ziva could respond Abby walked into the squad room carrying a crying Francesca. "I'm sorry Ziva." Abby was so embarrassed she didn't want to burden her but the little girl wouldn't stop crying. "She woke up from her nap screaming for her mom and dad, I tried to explain the best I could that they weren't here. But she would cry more and then once she realized where she was she kept asking for you." Abby handed Francesca over to Ziva.

She nestled into Ziva's chest; her cries turned to whimpers and then completely stopped. "It is okay Abby I was about to go get her anyways."

Ziva walked back to her desk and sat down. Ziva looked over at Tony giving him the okay to his suggestion. "I think you have your answer boss."

Francesca began crying again when she came to the realization that she no longer would go home. "What's wrong?" Ziva asked the girl. She knew she would need to be patient with her.

"I go home with you or me go to a group home like Abby say? She looked at Ziva with puppy dog eyes. She had grown really attached to Ziva and would prefer to go home with her than other strange people.

"I guess that settles that then. You're coming home with us." Tony laughed.

They all walked in the door, Francesca was standing behind Ziva. "We're home!" Ziva yelled gaining the attention of their daughter and babysitter. Their three-year-old daughter came running over running straight into her mother's arms, she was the perfect combination of Tony and Ziva. She had hazel eyes and red curly hair taking after Tony's grandmother. "Tataleh, were you good for the babysitter?"

"Pefect angel," she answered Ziva but then her dad caught her attention and ran over to him. "Daddy, I miss you." She attacked him with kisses stopping once noticed a little girl standing behind her mother. "Who dat?"

Tony motioned for her to come to him, "this is Francesca. She is going to be staying with us for the weekend. You going to be nice to her?"

"Yes daddy," Lila walked over to Francesca and held out her hand for her. "Hi, I Lila Caitlyn DiNozzo."

"Hi," Francesca waved wryly at Lila.

"Mommy we go play?"

"Yes, go play while I make dinner." Lila took Francesca's hand and pulled her towards the playroom but she was reluctant to go. She looked up to Ziva for reassurance. Ziva smiled giving her the go ahead.

Lila showed her around her playroom asking her what she wanted to play. But Francesca wasn't really in a playing room. She took one of Lila's stuffed animals and sat in a corner looking out the window. Lila tried really hard to get Francesca to play but she wouldn't budge. She didn't know what was wrong with her so she went to look for her mom. "Mommy, why Cesca no wanna play wif me?"

"Tataleh, do not take it personal. Remember what I told you about how some people's mommies and daddies go away? Well that is what happened to Francesca she does not have a mom or a dad anymore. So, just be patient okay?"

"Otay, mommy" Lila hugged her mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You know leave?"

"No, I will not leave. Why don't you go get Francesca and wash up dinner will be ready in five minutes." Ziva slapped Lila's teeny butt as she headed to the playroom.

"Lila what movie do you want to see?" Tony asked his daughter as he searched through the movies.

"Cesca, you choose movie?" Lila asked Francesca trying to make her feel at home.

"Do you have the parent trap?" Tony looked through his collection of movies for the one that she wanted to see.

Tony found the movie "You're in luck missy I have it right here." Tony waved the movie and put it in. Ziva got on the couch and Francesca jumped on snuggling next to her mom.

Lila patted to the seat next to her. "Cesca come," Francesca smiled and walked over to where Lila was patting. Tony sat next to Francesca and hogged the popcorn throughout the movie.

All snuggled up they watched the movie fighting with Tony over the popcorn. He was known as the popcorn hog. He also couldn't watch a movie without commenting saying how a certain scene reminded him of some other movie. Ziva pointed out one or twice that Lila looked like the twins in the movie and she argued that she didn't. Francesca was the only one that stayed quiet throughout.

"Who's ready for another movie?" Tony asked as soon as the first one had finished.

"Shhh, the girls are asleep." Tony looked over his daughter was sleeping peacefully against Ziva and Francesca was curled up against him. "I'll take Lila you take Francesca?"

Tony went to the guest room to lay Francesca down but she clung on to him and cried out for her dad. Tony didn't want to force her to sleep by herself so he picked her up and took her back to Lila's room. When he came back with Francesca Ziva looked at him confused. "She wouldn't let go of me and she kept crying out for her dad. I thought it was best to let her sleep with Lila. Having a warm body will make her feel safe." She nodded in understand, Tony placed her next to Lila, took Ziva's hand and headed for their bedroom.

"No, daddy don't leave me! Come back daddy!" Lila woke up to a screaming Francesca.

Lila tried to wake her up the same way her parents did whenever she had a bad dream. "Cesca, wake up, Cesca." Lila shook Francesca until she woke up. "It a bad dream, Cesca."

Her cries turned to whimpers "daddy, daddy" she kept calling out. Lila hugged her trying to provide some sort of comfort as much as a little girl could. "I want my daddy."

Lila kept hugging her "My mommy say you daddy gone but you wanna go sleep with my mommy and daddy?" Francesca nodded. Lila grabbed her hand. "Come on" they headed toward her parent's room.

Both girls walked into Tony and Ziva's room and headed straight to Ziva's side of the bed. "Mommy, mommy" Lila whispered shaking her mother awake.

Ziva turned trying to ignore the shakings but then she saw Lila and Francesca standing by the bedside. "What is wrong tataleh?"

"Cesca a nightmare. She wants her daddy but he no here so we sleep with you and daddy?"

"Yeah come on." Ziva scooted over so the two girls could get in the middle of the bed. Luckily Tony and Ziva had purchased a big bed.

"You snuggle with mommy she make you feel bettah." Lila lay next to her dad and allowed Francesca to cuddle next to Ziva. Ziva wrapped her arms around Francesca and soothed her to sleep.

The following morning Tony awoke to a full bed. He had Lila lodged into his side and Francesca was still snuggled up with Ziva. He smiled this was the life he had never imagined he would ever have.

Tony got out of bed with the least amount of movement as possible trying not to disturb them. He headed downstairs to cook them breakfast and serve it to them in bed. "Good morning," Tony walked in the room with orange juice, a fruit bowl, and French toast.

All three girls woke up and sat up in bed licking their lips at the smell. Ziva smiled at Tony's small gesture. "What is this?"

"Breakfast in bed." He took four plates, distributed the breakfast and handed each of them a plate.

"Thank you my love," Ziva told him and gave him a kiss.

"Thank you daddy. It look yummy." Lila rubbed her belly and licked her lips in emphasis.

"Thank you Tony."

"So I think that today we should take advantage of the pool and then later go to Chuck E Cheese to enjoy some pizza and games. How does that sound?" Both girls nodded enthusiastically not replying because they were too busy devouring their breakfast.

"Tony this the best French toast ever. Thank you for breakfast." Francesca was a very polite little girl.

"Why thank you Ms. Francesca." Tony smiled at her and she smiled back.

"No, daddy, no!" Tony had picked up Lila, held her above his head like superwoman and pretended that he was going to throw her across the pool. "No, daddy, mommy help!" Ziva was lying in a lounge chair tanning and reading a book while the other three enjoyed the pool. Although it was mostly Tony and Lila having a water fight so Francesca started to feel a little left out.

She got out of the kiddie part of the pool and walked over to the lounge chairs where Ziva was. She approached Ziva and poked her on her knee and she looked up from the book she was reading to see who had poked her. "Ziva, you know your book is backwards?"

Ziva chuckled to herself and ruffled Francesca's hair. "Aw, no sweetie. The book is in Hebrew. In Hebrew we read from right to left so that is why it may seem that the book is backwards but it is not."

Francesca sat on the edge of the lounge chair, next to Ziva's, contemplating her next question. "Do you speak Italian?"

"Yes, it is one of the many languages I speak."

"My babbo thought me how to speak Italian. How many languages you speak?" Francesca was really intrigued because she was passionate about learning about other cultures and languages.

"Ten," Ziva smiled as Francesca's mouth dropped in amazement.

Her face lit up, "that a lot you think you teach me some?" But after she said that her smile disappeared as she came into the realization of her reality. "Never mind I no be here long."

Ziva didn't know what to say in this situation. So, instead of sitting in an awkward situation she called Tony over. "I think there is someone over here who would like to join you in the water fight." Tony caught on to Francesca's mood and picked her up, kissed Ziva on the lips, and then jumped in the pool with Francesca in his arms.

Francesca still looked a tad bit sad. So, Tony tickled her until she cried from laughter. "Mr. Tony, stop" she chuckled, "that tickles!" she squealed. Her mood lit up instantly.

Tony grabbed Francesca and Lila in his arms. "How about we splash mommy and make her get into the pool?" Both girls grinned. "Hey, Zee-vah" Tony yelled trying to get his wife's attention and once she turned around all three of them began splashing her.

She was taken by surprise she hadn't been expecting that. "Oh no you don't!" she yelled and cannon balled into the pool sending water splattering everywhere.

Both girls shrieked when water got all over them. "Mama, that an awesome jump." Lila's face lit up. Her mom rarely got into the pool and when she did she just swam around with her in her arms.

"Yeah, Ms. Ziva that was really cool."

Tony went over to kiss his wife. "Yeah babe, you should make appearances like that more often. That was pretty sexy." He winked at her. Ziva just splashed water at him for getting her wet.

Later that night the girls fell asleep almost immediately after they had been put to bed. They were tired out from the swimming and playing at Chuck E. Cheese. The girls had had a blast at chuck E. Cheese. At first Francesca had been a bit timid but once she got comfortable with Tony, Ziva and Lila she let loose. The girls had teamed up on the games so that they could win lots of tickets. Even Tony and Ziva played a few to add to the girls ticket pile. Three pizzas, hundreds of tokens, and many dorky pictures later the girls had racked up enough tickets to get one of the larger prizes. Lila had allowed Francesca to pick the prize and keep it; she ended picking out a stuffed pig and named him Mr. Sciatto, Italian for pig.

Tony walked out from the en-suite bathroom and got into bed. Ziva leaned over and gave her husband a kiss. "Thank you Tony I had fun today. Francesca she is something, yes?"

"She is an amazing little girl who unfortunately has been through a lot. I'm glad we could give her a nice two days. She needed that. When we got her she was sad and would barely talk to us now she's acting as crazy as Lila."

Ziva chuckled. Francesca had definitely gotten comfortable around them. She would really miss her once she left on Monday. "Tony?" Ziva wasn't sure how to tell him this and she was less sure as if he felt the same way as her.

"Ziva?" Tony had grown attached to the little girl the past two days she had been here. He wanted to tell Ziva but he didn't know how to and he had no certainty that she felt the same way.

"You go first," Ziva stuttered. Nervous of telling him what she felt.

"Umh well I was thinking well" Tony was very nervous he was beginning to sweat "since Francesca has grown comfortable here I was thinking that well maybe we shouldn't send her to a foster home. She could stay here until they find her a more permanent solution."

Ziva didn't say anything. She couldn't believe that Tony had said the exact same thing she was thinking. Tony began to get nervous Ziva's silence was killing him. "I mean only if you want to. I mean we don't have to. But its just she's grown on me. I couldn't imagine sending her off somewhere."

"Tony," Ziva's tone made it seem like she didn't agree with him.

"No I get it it's a big responsibility. We have Lila and another one would just be more." Tony was disappointed he had thought that maybe Ziva would be onboard.

"Tony shut up." Ziva put her finger on his lips and then kissed him so he would shut up and listen to him. "That is exactly what I was thinking and that is what I was going to tell you. I do not want to send her back."

Tony's face lit up again. "Tomorrow we can call Gibbs and then speak with the social worker to sort everything out. But for now let's go to sleep." Tony kissed his wife, turned off his lamp, and then spooned her. "I love you Ziva."

"I love you Tony."

**Hope you enjoyed. Now reviews equal chapter 2. So, please review.**


	2. Now or Never

**[A/N Thank you all for your reviews, follows, and favorites because of all this I have hurried and updated the next chapter. Same rules chapter 3 depends on how generous you are with review]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS**

The night before had not been any better for them. It had started well with Lila and Francesca both sleeping in their beds. But at around midnight everything went downhill, the girls had found their way into Tony and Ziva's bed. Francesca woke three times after that shaking and screaming out for her parents begging for them not to leave her. Her nightmares weren't getting any better and this worried Ziva. By about the third nightmare Ziva finally just grabbed Francesca and wrapped her arms tightly around her hoping that would make her feel safe. After that she was able to sleep the rest of what was left of the night.

Tony had been dreaming that he and Ziva had adopted Francesa. They were spending the day at the beach as a family until Gibbs had come and taken her away from them because they had not told him that they were planning on adopting her. That was their punishment for lying to the almighty Gibbs.

Tony was startled awake by the dream. The dream had spooked him into calling Gibbs in that instant. So he gently kissed Ziva awake and told her it was imperative that they called their boss. They left the girls in bed and headed downstairs to call Gibbs. Ziva handed her husband the phone but stopped halfway. She wanted to make sure he was sure about this before they got Gibbs involved. "Tony, are you sure about this?"

"I'm positive. She's kind of grown on me." Tony shrugged like what he was about to do wasn't a big deal, took the phone and dialed Gibbs cell.

"_Yeah, Gibbs," _he picked almost immediately wondering why his agent was calling early on a Saturday morning.

"Umh, boss well Ziva and I were calling to tell you that we have decided to become Francesca's foster parents." Tony was beyond nervous. If he had learned anything about his boss over the years it was that you were never supposed to get emotionally involved. He knew he would be pissed. He had consistently told them to never get emotionally involved in a case and here they were emotionally involved.

Gibbs remained silent for a couple of minutes. He was deciding on whether to be mad or proud of his two agents. "Uh, boss you still there?" Tony asked nervously not sure if his boss had gotten pissed and ended the call.

"_Have you called the social worker?" _Gibbs didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure they were making the right decision but he would support them regardless. Both were like his children and like any father he would support them no matter what.

Tony had been expecting yelling, screaming, and insults about the lack of brain that he possessed. But never had he expected the Gibbs equivalence of support. "No, boss we wanted to call you first before we called the social worker." Tony and Ziva let out a breath they didn't know they had been holding.

"_Well if they give you any trouble don't hesitate to call me. I'll set them straight." _He chuckled a bit and then stopped when he realized what he had just said. He guessed he had been more on board with this than he originally thought. _Damn it Gibbs now you are emotionally involved._

"Ziva and I really appreciate it boss." Gibbs hung up before they could say anything more. He wasn't very good at expressing his feeling but that didn't mean that Tony couldn't tell that he truly cared for them. This phone call had said it all. Gibbs was in many ways more than a boss to them.

"Phew, got one call out the way now to call the social worker." Tony was relieved that the phone call with Gibbs had gone smoothly. Now he could only hope that the call with the social worker would go the same.

The social worker was due to arrive at any moment. She was paying them a visit to ensure that their home was suitable for a child, have them fill out some paperwork, answer any questions that they might have, and speak with the child to make sure she was emotionally stable.

The social worker, Audrey Dawson, arrived promptly after they had finished breakfast. At her arrival the girls were sent upstairs to leave the adults to their business. Ms. Dawson walked in like she owned the place, showed herself to the kitchen, and pulled out the necessary paperwork. No introductions were given and no words were spoken.

She was a bit intimidating to say the least. Tony and Ziva just stared at her pull out paper after paper until she looked up at them and spoke. "Okay I like to be short and to the point. If I understand correctly the both of you want to be the caretakers of a one Francesca Castellano until we are able to find a more permanent home for her?" She was very monotone and emotionless in the way she carried herself.

"Yes, we feel it would be in the child's best interest for her to be in an environment she is both comfortable and familiar with." Tony answered Ms. Audrey Dawson smoothly and professionally. He was very nervous though he did not show it through his speech.

"We do not feel that a foster home will give the child the individual care and attention she needs. At least here we know what she has been through and have been able to handle it. She has also grown quite attached to me and I do not feel it adequate to take the child's safety blanket away." Ziva attempted her best to argue her point.

"As my wife expressed, we just want her to be happy, and if this weekend is any indication of that. I'd say we have been successful in that part. At first like any child she was shy but as the weekend progressed she's gotten more comfortable and now she's acting like part of the family." Tony wanted this social worker to understand that Francesca was content here and it wouldn't be in her best interest to be moved.

"Trust me Mr. DiNozzo everything I do is for the child's well-being. But it has come to my attention that you have a child of your own?"

"Yes, Lila, she is three years old." Ziva didn't know what that had to do with anything.

"Well you are aware that children who lose parents unexpectedly tend to become violent. I fear that could cause a problem with your family because she could one day snap and bring harm not only to herself but others as well. I feel she would be better off in a facility where her violent actions can be monitored and dealt with."

"Ms. Dawson I can guarantee you that Francesca would never harm herself or others. She is a very sweet and polite little girl that has unfortunately been through a horrible situation. But she and our daughter have hit it off quite well. They are upstairs playing, you could go peek in on them if you would like?" Tony suggested he would prove to her that Francesca was not a violent child.

"Yes, please I would like to view the child's current living standards and speak with her for a moment to see her point of view on things." She stood so that they could lead her to the children.

As they headed upstairs the social worker looked around taking notes of everything she saw. Making sure everything was up to code and suitable for a child. So far everything seemed normal and she like them she really did. But the only thing stopping her from completely having them qualify as foster parents was their line of work. It worried her that they risked their lives and could leave a child parentless in an instant. For a child, like Francesca that raised a problem it would be emotionally overbearing to lose somebody else.

The three stood back for a few minutes observing how the two children interacted. Francesca had seemed to adapt quite well and enjoy the company of Lila. They played well together and there seemed to be no issues between the two. After she had observed enough she walked into the room followed by Tony and Ziva. Ziva went to stand by the girls and Tony stayed by the door so that he wasn't in the way.

Ms. Dawson walked over to Francesca and sat next to her on the bed. "Hi Francesca I'm Ms. Dawson." She held out her hand so that she could take it but Francesca got off the bed and ran to Ziva's side. "Don't be afraid I'm just here to talk. Is it okay if I ask you a few questions? I promise I don't be." She was no longer the monotone woman from earlier. She had transformed once she began talking the little girl.

Francesca looked up at Ziva. She hated meeting new people and this woman didn't seem very friendly. She had a feeling she was here to take her away from Ziva and Tony. "It's okay; she just wants to talk to you." Ziva reassured her. She waved and gave her a small smile.

That was enough for Ms. Dawson. Although she hated how attached she had become to them already. It was never good for the kids if things didn't work out. "So tell me Francesca do you enjoy staying here?"

The little girl nodded and then smiled up at Ziva. She really loved staying here. They were all so nice and they didn't get mad that she kept them up with her nightmares.

"Are you being treated nicely?" Again the little girl nodded. She didn't feel comfortable enough to talk to the lady. She knew that she was the one who would decide if she stayed or left. She didn't want to say anything that would jeopardize her living with the DiNozzo's.

The questioning continued for a while. After the first couple questions, Tony and Lila had headed downstairs to give Ms. Dawson some alone time with Francesca. But the little girl wouldn't let Ziva leave so she was allowed to stay.

Twenty questions later Ms. Dawson had all the information she needed to make a decision. They were heading back downstairs when Francesca finally spoke. "You no going to take me away from Ziva?" She half asked half demanded.

"Not today no." She answered her honestly. She wasn't going to take her away from Ziva today but once they found her a family who would want to adopt her then yeah she would without hesitation.

Tony sent the girls back upstairs so that they could fill out the paperwork needed to legally become Francesca's foster parents. "Okay, so everything looks good. The only thing I am concerned with is you professions. Every day there is a higher chance you might not make it home and I worry the kind of stress that could implement on the child. But I guess since this is only supposed to be temporary" making sure to emphasize the word temporarily. There was just something about them she suddenly didn't like. Maybe it was that they had brought the little girl home without calling child services, so technically they had kidnapped a child. "That shouldn't be a problem. Now if you choose to proceed to adopt her than that may become an issue with the judge. But no worries I'm sure we will find her a nice family to adopt her soon. So she is out of your hairs."

Ziva was beginning to get agitated with the woman. She was making inappropriate marks here and there about their professions. Insinuating they weren't suitable parents because they risked their lives on a daily basis. Tony sensing her frustration grabbed her hand to calm her down. He knew her all too well and knew what she was capable of. She took it willing and relaxed a bit. "How long does finding a family usually take?" He was curious as to how much time they would have with Francesca.

"Well it could take anywhere from several weeks to several months. But like I said the sooner the better."

All the forms were in order but all that was left was to sign some documents. They had just finished signing the last one when both girls came running down the stairs. "Mommy, Cesca and I hungry."

Ziva looked at her watch. "No wonder, it's lunch time. Let's go to the kitchen and I'll make you guys something." She told them. "Excuse me" Ziva excused herself from the table and headed to the kitchen with the girls. She came back with their lunch and sat them at the table where the worker had just finished gathering all her belongings.

Once she left both Tony and Ziva took a deep breath. "Well that went well." Ziva said sarcastically.

"Was it just me or did she not like us whatsoever?" Tony kissed his wife on the temple, wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to where the girls were.

"At first I thought she was just doing what was best for Francesca but then she kept making inappropriate remarks. That is when I thought it was best just to hurry it up and get her out of here." Ziva rested her head against Tony's shoulder. The social worker's visit had taken a lot out of her.

"Like I said she didn't like us." They reached the dining room and sat down to join the girls for lunch. "But I don't care what she thinks because we still have Francesca." Tony smiled his trademark smile.

Several weeks passed and Francesca had continued to adapt into the DiNozzo family. She was going to daycare with Lila, speaking more and sleeping through the night without a nightmare. Of course she still had the occasional nightmare every once in a while. But now instead of her parents they were of Tony and Ziva leaving her.

They had started shortly after Ms. Dawson began taking Francesca to meet families. At the most she visited the same family twice and that was it. But for the past couple weeks she had been constantly visiting the same family. Even though she didn't understand what it meant completely she knew that soon she would be taken from her current family. This raised some insecurity and triggered her nightmares.

That was why this weekend they were going to take her to buy paint and decorations so that they could transform the guest room into her room. Take her mind off all the adoption mumbo jumbo and allow her to just have some fun. That was until the social worker called and said that the family wanted to meet with her again this weekend because they were interested in adopting. She had been very persistent that they have her ready by ten because this was one of the last final meetings before the family began the adoption process. She called all day the day before making sure everything was perfect. She didn't want to miss an opportunity to get Francesca off of their hands.

Ziva got up that morning to get Francesca ready to meet with the Dupree family, couple around their thirties with a seven year old son named Patrick. They had wanted another child but since the wife had a hostile uterus it made it very hard for them to get pregnant. So they decided to adopt.

"Ziva, why do I always have to go meet the Duprees?" Francesca didn't understand why she had been visiting the Dupree family so much.

"Remember how I explained that you were only staying her temporarily until Ms. Dawson found you a nice family to stay with. Well the Dupree family would like you to become their daughter."

"But I no wanna go somewhere else I wanna stay here." She hugged Ziva tightly hopping that she would never have to let go.

"Just meet with them, if you absolutely do not want to be their daughter then tell Ms. Dawson and you will not have to see them again okay? If you do this for me we can go get some ice cream when you come back." Ziva tried to give her a reassuring smile but the little girl was too upset. She still didn't understand why but she would do as she was asked. "Now let's go give you some breakfast before Ms. Dawson shows up to pick you up."

The social worker had picked up Francesca and taken her to the park to meet up with the Dupree family. They were really excited to see her again and hoped that she would finally be the one. Since, Audrey and Francesca arrived early she allowed Francesca to go play on the swings until the family showed up.

"Francesca the family is here." Audrey called to her. Francesca jumped off the swing and walked as slow as she could manage.

The family was very excited a little too excited for Francesca liking. "Hi sweetie, we are very glad to see you again. How are you?"

"Hi, I sad."

"Why are you sad are you not happy to see us?" The woman didn't know why the little girl would be said. She thought that she would be happy to finally be a part of a family. But what she didn't know was Francesca already had a family.

"No, I wanna go home." The little girl began to cry.

"How about we play for a little and then we take you home? We really wanted to see you." She would not give up that easily.

They walked around the park talking about the randomest things trying to distract the little girl. They played with her in the swing set and slide trying to get her comfortable with them to make the transition a bit easier on all of them. They attempted to talk to her about her interests but all Francesca talked about was what she did with Ziva, Tony, and Lila. Francesca had enjoyed herself but she missed Tony and Ziva. She didn't want to be part of the Dupree family. She wanted to be part of the DiNozzo family.

After spending some time at the park they were now headed for some ice cream. "I go home now?" She had had fun but now she just wanted to go home.

"You don't want to go get ice cream?" Penelope had thought that things were going smoothly so she became upset that the little girl still didn't feel comfortable enough to spend a whole day with them.

"No, I wanna go home. I go get ice cream with Tony, Ziva, and Lila." She didn't understand why they wouldn't take her home. Ziva had said that all she had to do was say she didn't want to be part of their family and she wouldn't have to see them.

Penelope called the social worker to tell her that they were headed back to the park so that she could pick her up there. They got to the park and the family wanted to hug and kiss her goodbye but she just waved bye and walked over to Audrey. Audrey called Tony to tell them that they were headed back to their house.

On the way back Audrey was determined to get to the bottom of things. "Why didn't you want to go get ice cream with the Dupree's they really wanted to take you?" Ms. Dawson thought they were a good family and see wanted for them to adopt her.

"I wanned to go home." She said sadly. She had had enough of them and just wanted to go home why did nobody understand that.

"That's just it I am trying to find you a home." She was going to make the little girl understand one way or another that Ziva and Tony's house was not her home. That was only temporary.

"My home with Tony, Ziva, and Lila."

"No, sweetie you are only staying there until I find you some nice people to be your mommy and daddy." It was always hard trying to get the little ones to understand. She didn't have much patience and this little girl was testing all of it.

"Why I no can stay with Ziva and Tony?" she cried.

"You just can't, okay?" She tried not to lose her patience with her.

"No!" Francesca cried out, jumped out the car and into Ziva's arms. They had arrived at the same time that Ms. Audrey pulled up in front of their house.

"Sweetie, what is wrong?" Ziva picked her up and held her in her arms.

"Ms. Audrey say I no can stay with you. That I will go with nother family soon." She cried against Ziva's chest and she ran her hand through her hair. "You say me no have to."

Tony walked over with Lila in his arms. "What's wrong?" He was worried that Francesca had showed up upset.

"Mommy, what wrong wif Cesca?" She was also worried for her.

"She is just sad. Do not worry sweetie." Ziva cupped Lila's face.

Audrey was talking to the Duprees on the phone; they had called shortly after Francesca ran out of the car. Once they finished talking she headed over to the DiNozzos to address the situation at hand.

"What the hell happened?" Tony tried to keep his cool in front of the girls. But it was unacceptable that Francesca showed up crying.

"Here's the situation I just got off the phone" she held up the phone "with the Duprees, the family that wants to adopt Francesca, they want to have one last meeting with her tomorrow and if all goes well they are going push the paper work for adoption. So if tomorrow goes well we should have her out of here at the most within the next month." She wore a smile the entire time.

Tony was pissed he didn't want to lose this little girl. He would be having a serious conversation with Ziva tonight. "Okay well you can wipe that grin of your face. Just tell me what time she needs to be ready so that you can go and we can go get our ice cream." Tony just wanted this woman gone.

"Have her ready same time as today." She walked off, slammed the door, and sped off.

"Who's ready for some ice cream?" Tony asked with fake cheer. He was trying his best to act normal for the girls but really he was pissed.

"Tony?" Ziva put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, let's talk tonight let's just go get some ice cream with the girls." They got the girls into the car and drove off. Ziva took Tony's hand. She understood how he felt she felt the same way but what were they to do.

At the ice cream parlor Tony allowed everyone to get double scoop. Ziva had gone boring and gotten vanilla, Lila got chocolate chip cookie dough, Francesca ordered rocky road, and Tony got coffee flavored.

When they went to sit down surprisingly Francesca choose to sit next to Tony. "Mr. Tony I try you ice cream?"

He smiled wide he was so happy that she was beginning to feel a lot more comfortable with him. "Sure but only a little okay?"

Francesca nodded and tasted a little of his ice cream. She made a disgusted face. "Eww this gross. My ice cweam bettah."

Tony and Ziva just laughed at the face the little girl had made. It had been price less. "Daddy, I twy?"

Tony nodded and Lila stood on her chair to reach across the table to taste her daddy's ice cream. Most of it had ended up on her shirt but what she had tasted she loved. Ziva took her to the bathroom to wash up.

Once Ziva and Lila were gone Francesca became serious. She looked up at Tony and looked him in the eyes. "You no let them take, Tony? She asked him very seriously but vulnerably.

Tony didn't want that little girl gone as much as she wanted to leave. He too looked her in the eyes seriously. "I will do everything in my power for you to stay with us, okay?"

The little girl was so happy by his response she hugged and cried. "Thank you, Tony. You the best."

Tony just smiled and hugged the little girl back. Nobody would be taking her away from him.

Later that night when they had gone to bed Tony could not sleep. His mind had been racing on how he was going to keep his promise. Should they adopt her? I mean it was supposed to be temporary. But who was he kidding he loved this little girl he didn't want to lose her. But would Ziva agree? She had only agreed to being her foster parents. "Ziva?" he called her name hoping that she wasn't asleep. "Ziva?" he called again.

"Tony this better be important if you are waking me up." She stirred in bed trying to get comfortable again.

Crap she hated being woken up. Maybe now wasn't a good time. No he had to figure this out now. His daughter was meeting his adopted parents tomorrow. Crap. His daughter? He was seriously screwed. _Man up DiNozzo. _"Ziva I was thinking maybe we should adopt Francesca." He spat it out quickly. Like pulling off a Band-Aid. "It's just thinking that she might be gone in a couple of weeks and she won't be here is killing me. Today when you and Lila went to the bathroom in the ice cream shop she asked me if I would let them take her and I told her I would do everything in my power not to and I plan to keep that promise. But I mean I get it if you don't want to."

"Tony, are you sure about this? I mean one thing is to be a foster parent and another is to legally be her parents." Ziva wanted this too but she didn't want Tony acting on impulse. She wanted to make sure he had thought this through.

"Yes I'm sure." Tony was very sure of his decision just as sure as when he knew he wanted to marry Ziva.

"I just want to make sure you are sure about this. I do not want you acting on impulse just because Audrey said that the other family might be adopting Francesca."

"Ziva, I'm just as sure about this as the day that I decided to marry you."

"Well okay then." Ziva couldn't say no to that and in all honesty she wanted this too.

"Okay as in yes or okay as in I'll think about it?" Tony was trying not to get his hopes up. But it was too late.

"Okay yes Tony. But let's talk about this more tomorrow okay? Let´s go to bed now." Ziva gave him a kiss and went to bed.

"Love you Ziva," Tony couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

The following morning Ziva got Francesca ready again for her meeting with the Dupree. She was sad as she was the morning before but Ziva didn't want to tell her about the adoption just yet until they had some type of confirmation. She didn't want to get her hopes off.

Audrey picked up Francesca at ten on the dot. Then Tony and Ziva proceeded to get ready. They dropped Lila off with Abby so that see could watch her while Tony and Ziva went to talk with a lawyer.

"Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo, Mr. Walken." He shook their hand and then signaled for them to sit down. "What can I help you with today?"

They told him everything from how they had come across Francesca to what the social worker had told them yesterday. "So we would like to begin the adoption process for Francesca."

"Well from the information you have given me I think you have a very good chance of gaining custody of Francesca. It also helps that she has been with you since the very beginning. The judge could take in her opinion and that would help a lot." The lawyer was very optimistic for them.

"Will our occupation affect the judge´s decision in any way because the social worker had said that it would not help our case or maybe prevent us from adopting her?" Ziva asked worried that because of what they do they wouldn't be able to adopt Francesca.

"He might have some concerns but overall I don't think it would affect you. If anything it might help a bit that she will be in a safe environment where she will be protected. From what you told me it´s safe to assume that the social worker is against you adopting the little girl."

"We got that impression the moment she step foot in our home." Tony joke but in all seriousness they knew she didn't like them.

"Well I won´t let her affect your hearing with the judge. Just to be on the safe side don't mention to her that you petitioned to take her." They nodded in agreement they didn't want anything to jeopardize this. "Well if you don't have any more questions I´m going to give you this packet of paperwork that I need you to fill out and get to me as soon as possible. So I can send it off and get the adoption process started." He handed them the packet.

"Thank you very much for your time." They shook hands and thanked him once again.

"I hope to see you soon with this packet filled out." He pointed at the packet.

And that is how Tony and Ziva walked out of the lawyer´s office. Holding hands and with a huge grin on their face. They were filled with hope that in a few months' time Francesa Castellano would be their daughter.

**Please review!**


	3. Mother's Day Play

**[A/N Sorry it took me so long to update. I was at my grandma's house and there was no Internet. I hope you enjoy this chapter it's a super fluff chapter. Maybe a little too much but that's the kind of mood im in. Pretty please review. It will get you the next chapter up sooner.]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS **

A couple of days ago the lawyer had called Tony and Ziva to inform them that he had both good news and bad. The judge had accepted their petition and set up a court date for two weeks from today. But the bad news was that the judge had accepted the Dupree´s petition as well. Thankfully the social worker still didn't have a clue on what Tony and Ziva had been doing. That way she couldn't at the time of the hearing make an appearance. Their lawyer had suggested that they get another social worker to take over their case. That was exactly what they had done; she would show up unexpectedly to occasionally check up on them and keep them informed on the status of their case.

With the adoption on everyone´s mind for the last couple of weeks it started to take a toll on everyone especially Francesca; whose nightmares seemed to worsen by day. So, for mother´s day Tony thought it wise to go away for the weekend to take their minds off the adoption. This weekend was mother´s day and tony took the opportunity to plan something special. He wanted to spend from Saturday until Tuesday in his father´s Hampton vacation home. No one knew about this except for Gibbs, of course, because he had to ask for the time off. He was planning on telling the girl´s Friday morning so that they could give it to Ziva as their early mother´s day present.

Like every morning Ziva went for her five mile run. Tony took this time as an opportunity to pack his bag, the girls, and Ziva´s that way it would continue to be a surprise as to where they were going until they arrived at the airport. Once he finished packing he went to get the girls ready for daycare. That way if Ziva asked he would use the girls as his excuse as to why he had gotten up earlier than usual.

"Tony, you and Ziva go to Lila and I´s show?" The daycare kids age's three to five had been preparing a play for the parents in honor of mother's day.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world, sweetie. Ziva and I have been very excited to see the both of you in the play." Ever since Tony DiNozzo became a father he had turned into an emotional sap.

"The team come too?" She loved the team, they were her family as well, and she wanted all of her family to come see here in the play.

Tony chuckled. Once they found out that Tony and Ziva had become Francesca´s foster parents the team had made her part of their dysfunctional family almost immediately. Of course Abby had been super excited and had wanted to take her shopping for a whole new wardrobe. "Yeah they wouldn't miss it either." He ruffled her hair.

"You know I got the lead?" Francesca boasted. That was all she had talked about the day her teacher had awarded her the lead in the play.

"Yes I do. Ziva and I are very proud of you." Tony kissed the top of her head praising her like any proud father would.

Francesca played with her hands nervously. There was something on her mind that had been bugging her ever since the teacher had told her that the lead had to at the end thank all of the moms and then talk about why she was so grateful for hers. This darn speech had her in quite a pickle. She didn't want to hurt Ziva´s feelings but she also didn't want to make it seem like she was replacing her mom. "Tony, you think Ziva get mad or sad if I no call her mommy on mother´s day? Cause as lead I suppose to give a speech about my mommy and I want to take about my mommy Isabella. But I also take about Ziva but me no call her mommy." She looked down at her hands as she continued to fumble with them. She couldn't look Tony in the eyes.

Tony knew this question would come sooner or later. Both Ziva and Tony had talked about this they didn't want to force Francesca into calling them mom and dad. Especially since they hadn't officially adopted her yet or told her about the adoption. They would let her continue to call them by their name until she felt comfortable and initiated calling them mom and dad. But they did hope that one day she would be able to call them that. "Sweetie, we want you to feel as comfortable as possible and if you don't feel comfortable calling us mommy and daddy we understand. I promise you Ziva will be neither mad nor sad. We love you very much and we both understand that you are still getting used to the idea of living with us."

Francesca finally looked up. She felt even worse, they loved her very much and yet she still didn't think of them as her mommy or daddy. To her they were her family but not her mommy or daddy just yet. She put her hand on his cheek, "No be sad Tony you might not be my daddy just yet but I love you and Ziva very much. We a family." Tony smiled and hugged her. She might've not thought of him as her dad but at least she thought of them as a family. He was also very optimistic that the adoption would go in their favor. He couldn't wait until he could finally give Francesca the news that she was officially their daughter.

Tony and Ziva took the girls to daycare later that morning. They both got off to drop the girls off so that they could reserve their spot and the team´s for the mother´s day play. Ms. Addison walked over to receive the girls. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo." She looked down at the girls. "Good morning, Francesca, Lila. Your groups are waiting for you." She stood back up.

Ziva kneeled down to say goodbye to the girls. "Give mommy a kiss." She tapped her finger against her cheek. Both girls ran over to her with such force that they had almost tipped her over. Each girl kissed a cheek and gave her a big hug.

Ziva returned the kiss to Lila, "bye mommy." Lila smiled big.

She then proceeded to kiss Francesca on the cheek, "bye Ziva have a good day."

"Hey what about daddy?" he held out his arms so the girls could come over to him.

"No be jealous daddy, I love you too." Lila attacked him with kisses but Francesca stayed in Ziva´s arms.

Tony cleared his throat trying to gain Francesca´s attention. "What about you, missy, are you planning on saying bye to me?" Tony called over to Francesca in pretend jealousy.

She ran over laughing at the fact that Tony had gotten jealous. "Yeah, Tony, no get jealous cause I love you too." She gave him a big fat sloppy kiss on the cheek. Ms. Addison just stood their smiling at the cute family interaction.

Shortly after speaking to Ms. Addison, Tony and Ziva headed to work. He didn't want to be late or Gibbs was sure to ruin the surprise for Ziva. He had worked too hard to make it perfect and keep it from her that he allowed Ziva to drive to work so that they could make it in on time.

The kids that were to be in the play gathered together to discuss how they should come prepared and to run through it once more. After they had done a successful run through the teacher informed the kids that since Sunday was mother´s day there were supplies at the tables so that they could make their moms something special. All the kids ran off taking a little of everything to make the best present ever.

Francesca stayed behind to work on the speech, she would give, with Ms. Addison. They had worked out all the details and fixed the little issues that Francesca was worried about. She was now very happy with the end result and only hoped that Ziva and her mom would be too. Once again she fidgeted with her hands, a trait she had picked up from her mother, something she did whenever she was nervous. "Ms. Addison, do I have to make a card?" She had not wanted to make a card for Ziva because she did not want to disrespect her mom.

"No, but I think Ziva would appreciate it very much if you made her something?" She was well aware of their current situation and knew that they were trying to adopt Francesca.

"But I no want to make my mommy sad." She had slowly started to accept the death of both her parents but it was days like these that she really missed them.

Ms. Addison quickly improvised something else for the little girl so that she wouldn't feel left out. "Well how about instead of a mother´s day card you make her a Ziva´s day card. That way you don't feel like you are replacing your mom."

"That is a great idea. Thank you Ms. Addison." She ran back to a table and sat next to Lila.

Lila looked over from the card she was making her mom. "Cesca, you wanna make mommy cawd together?"

"Sure!" Francesca loved the idea. It made her feel accepted by Lila. They had both made her a huge mother´s day book and then each had made their own.

Later that day Ziva came to pick them up. Gibbs had allowed Ziva to leave early so that she could spend some time with the girls. Tony was ordered to stay until all paperwork was done but also giving him an excuse to finish up some last minute details and confirming flights without Ziva finding out.

The teacher called the girls over informing them that their mom was here to pick them up. They grabbed their stuff, handed Ms. Addison their shared Mother´s day card, which tony had asked the girls to make so that he could place the tickets in Friday morning and give it to her after the play, then they ran to Ziva in a similar fashion as they had in the morning. "Mommy, Francesca and I!"

Francesca quickly covered Lila´s mouth before she could ruin the surprise. "Were wondering if you can paint our nails and play games with us?" she added quickly and sighed.

"Uh, sure, we can have a girls day while we wait for Tony to get home." The girls were acting strange but she didn't push the situation any further.

After Ziva had painted the girl´s nails, Lila a light blue and Francesca a light pink, they sat at the coffee table to play candy land. Francesca was in the lead and Ziva was going to draw her next card when her cellphone rang. She looked at the caller ID, Audrey Dawson, _what the hell did she want_? She composed herself and answered, "Agent DiNozzo."

"Yes hello Mrs. DiNozzo. I was wondering if there was a possibility that I could come by to pick Francesca up and take her off your hands for a while. The Dupree called and they want to see her for a while."

Ziva looked across the table to Francesca. She was laughing so hard, at something that Lila had said, that water had come out her nose. Therefore, causing another fit of laughter from Francesca and Lila. Ziva was going to say yes but for once in a whole week Francesca looked happy, peaceful, and stress free. She knew allowing the social worker to take her would bring all her stress back. So instead she lied. "I am so terribly sorry but Francesca has come down with a bit of a cold and is no conditions to go out. Maybe some other time, yes?"

The social worker tried her best to sound sympathetic. "No, yes of course, tell Francesca I hope she feels better."

"I will bye bye now." She didn't allow her time to respond because Ziva had already hung up the phone Gibbs style. Ziva grabbed the phone and threw it on the couch. _If I was still in Mossad she would be dead already. _She looked over at the girls and smiled.

"Who called?" Francesca asked worriedly.

"Wrong number," she nodded but didn't seem too convinced by Ziva´s answer.

"It your turn mommy." Lila was very impatient when it came to games.

Francesca had won the first game. After that they played a few more times until Ziva left the two watching TV to make dinner. Both were watching Cinderella when Lila randomly spoke up. "Cesca, why no you call mommy and daddy, mommy and daddy?"

"Cause I have a mommy and daddy." Lila had thought that Francesca´s parents had died.

"But my mommy say you mommy and daddy gone."

Francesca started to get tears in her eyes. "They are but they still my mommy and daddy, Lila."

"Oh" Lila noticed that Francesca started to cry so she hugged her. "No cry Cesca, if you wanna call mommy and daddy mommy and daddy me no mind. They be both our mommy and daddy. You my sista, I love you Cesca. You no cry Cesca."

"I love you too, siorella." Francesca returned the hug.

"What siorella?"

"Sister in Italian," Francesca smiled as Cesca came into realization of what she had called her.

Tony arrived as the table was being set. When he walked through the door he could smell the three cheeses lasagna cooking. He placed his coat on the coat rack and his backpack on the floor. "Honey, I'm home." He said mimicking the voice from the movie he had heard it from.

Ziva walked out of the kitchen and greeted Tony with a kiss. "How was your day, love?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips.

"Gibbs gave me double the amount of paperwork since we won´t be going to work tomorrow." _Or for the next four days. _

"Well, I am sorry, why don't you go sit down. Dinner is ready." Tony wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to the dining room.

"How was your afternoon?"

"It was relaxing. I painted the girl´s nails. Then we played some board games but you will not believe who called." Tony just looked at her like I have no idea. "The social worker, she wanted to come pick Francesca up but I told her she was sick and was in no conditions to go out." She added her reasons why. She felt like her actions needed to be justified. "For the first time in weeks she was relaxed and enjoying herself. I did not want the social worker to take her and bring her back stressed because every time she goes with her she has those nightmares."

Tony hugged Ziva feeling her getting worked up about this. "You did the right thing. She needs a break from all of this."

Ziva took a deep breath. "I just cannot wait until we can tell her that she gets to stay with us forever." Ziva leaned against Tony´s embrace.

"Me too, sweet cheeks, me too." Tony just wanted for this nightmare to be over and have the judge declare that Francesca was theres.

"Girls dinner!" Ziva called out to them.

"Coming Ziva!" Francesca screamed back. She laughed when she heard their little feet running down the stairs.

They sat around eating dinner when the doorbell rang. Tony got up to answer it. When he opened the door he had not been expecting her to be at their home at this hour. "Ms. Dawson to what do I owe this lovely pleasure?" He had said it sarcastically but she had not caught on to his tone.

"I just wanted to stop by and see how Francesca was doing. Your wife told me she was feeling under the weather." She wanted to sound like the concerned social worker but her tone on the other hand was cold and demanding.

_Right, you just wanted to make sure we weren't lying and keeping her from you._ "She´s doing better thank you. But if you don't mind we´re having dinner." The social worker kept hinting that she wanted to come in and look for herself but Tony kept the door halfway closed.

She pushed towards the door to allow herself into their home. "I just want to check on her." By now she had already pushed her way into the foyer.

_Damn this woman was pushy. _"Well come right on in." Tony told her sarcastically once again. This woman could not take a hint. He pointed a hand to the dining room, "Like I said we´re having dinner."

Ziva heard Tony talking to someone. "Who was it, love?"

Her question was answered when Tony and Audrey entered the room. "Good evening, I'm sorry to intrude in on your dinner but I wanted to make sure for myself that Francesca was okay."

_You want to apologize now? You had no trouble busting in my door just a few minutes ago. _"Well you saw for yourself that she is doing better so now you can leave and allow us to enjoy our dinner as a family." Tony was heading to the door hoping Ms. Dawson would follow him out.

But she ignored his comment and walked over to Francesca. "How are you, sweetie?"

Francesca wondered why Audrey had come all the way to her house just to check on her, "I fine."

The social worker eyed Ziva suspiciously like she knew they had been lying all along. "Well now that I know she is alright I'll be going. But rest assured I will be coming to get her this weekend."

"But this weekend is mother´s day." Ziva had been looking forward to spending the day with her whole family. That including Francesca.

"Yes it is and that's why she should spend it with the women who will soon become her mother don't you think?"

_I do that's why I want her to spend it with me. _"Alright we will have her ready for you."

_Feel free to show up but we won´t be here when you do._ Tony just smiled at his comment. Ziva looked at him and eyed him strangely. "Have her ready tomorrow morning no excuses." The social worker demanded.

Francesca frowned she hated her meetings with the social worker. She never forgot to tell her at the end of each visit that soon she would go live with the Dupree and not see Tony, Ziva, or Lila again. She hated hearing this and it made her sad. Then that would lead to her horrible nightmares later on in the night. "I no want to go. Tomorrow mine and Lila´s school play. We are all going to go. So I no go with you."

"Well you heard the girl. She won´t be going with you tomorrow. She is the lead in the play so she has to go." Ziva spook up for Francesca. She knew how much she had been looking forward to this play and how much she hated those visits with the Dupree.

"Well then it looks like I will be seeing you at the play tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your evening." She smiled to herself. It looked like she had won this round and she knew that was she was going to do tomorrow was sure to piss them off.

Tony awoke early the next morning. He shut Ziva´s alarm off and went downstairs to prepare everything for part one of their surprise. After he cooked breakfast he went back up to wake the girls. They grabbed the cards they had made and headed back downstairs to grab everything. Tony had prepared Ziva a fruit bowl, pancakes in the shape of hearts with whipped cream and a strawberry on top, a strawberry and banana smoothie, and placed a rose in a small vase. He had wanted everything to be perfect for her. She was the best mother in the world and deserved the best from them.

When they entered Tony and Ziva´s room Ziva was still fast asleep. Tony placed one finger to his mouth signaling for them to be quiet. They tiptoed to the edge of the bed and then totally ignored what Tony had told them. They jumped onto the bed and started screaming at the top of their lungs. "Happy mother´s day!" screamed Lila first. "Happy Ziva´s day!" Francesca screamed right after Lila.

Ziva was startled by the girl's screams and jumped searching for the gun that used to rest under her pillow. "Girls what did I tell you. You just startled your mom." Ziva was still waking up and had no clue what was going on.

Both girls turned to look at Tony but still sat next to Ziva. "Sorry daddy/Tony," they apologized sincerely. They turned back around and Ziva was still confused. Tony laughed at how cute his wife looked when she got confused. Lila threw herself at her mom and shoved the card she had made at her. "Happy mother´s day!" Ziva took the card and hugged Lila.

"Thank you tateleh," she inspected the card. On the front cover it had Happy Mother´s day I love you. The love part was a heart. The inside had a picture of Ziva and Lila when she was just a baby and on the other side there was some writing. I am glad I choose you to be my mommy. You are the best mommy a girl could have. Thank you for everything, I love you with all my heart Lila. Tears were forming in Ziva´s eyes. Not all the jewelry or expensive gifts in the world could amount to the one she had received from her daughter. "I love you too, tateleh." Ziva hugged her daughter once again.

Tony placed the breakfast tray on the side table where Ziva couldn´t see it and sat in the bed next to Francesca. "That was a very nice thing you made for mommy, mio amore."

"Thank you, daddy we give mommy her bweakfast now?" Lila was growing impatient and wanted to give her mom the next part of her surprise.

"Slow down, crazy girl. Francesca wants to give mommy her present first." She nodded and sat patiently in Tony´s lap while she waited for Francesca to finish giving her mom hers.

"Happy Ziva´s day," she mumbled. All the attention that was on her made her self-conscious about her gift and the affection she was giving her. Embarrassed she handed Ziva her card.

Sensing her nerves Ziva hugged her. "Thank you, sweetie." Her face lit up a little and smiled. Her nerves were slowly disappearing but she felt like she could never live up to the card that Lila had given her. She took the card and inspected it as she had Lila´s. On the front it had Happy Ziva´s week because you deserve much more than just a day and a big smiley face. Ziva smiled widely at this. She opened it and there was a picture that Francesca had drawn of the four of them having fun in the pool. The other side contained some writing. This card is dedicated to you, Ziva, the best pretend mom a girl could ask for. You deserve not only a week to be celebrated but the world. You not only took me in when my daddy left to be with my mommy. But you gave me a home and a family. You treat me like if I was your daughter; you give me love, security, and cuddle with me when I have nightmares. For all this I am truly grateful. Thank you Ziva, I love you so very much. By the end Ziva was bawling this card was taking a toll on her emotions. She had known that Francesca had grown to love them and be part of their family. But she did not know how much she had affected her.

Ziva leaned over, hugged the little girl and barely managed to choke out through tears, "I love you too." Ziva wiped away tears and looked her in the eyes. "Thank you so much for this, but you have nothing to thank me for. To me you are already my daughter and I will continue to see you that way even if we are to be separated. Again Ziva hugged her and had managed to stop crying like a baby, wiping away tears. She was so embarrassed she hated to cry in front of others.

Tony took this moment to pull out her breakfast and hand it to her. Ziva took it but she was in awe. "If I am not mistaken mother´s day is not until Sunday, yes?"

"Like Francesca said the best mother in the world deserves to be celebrated a whole week. So this is part one of your mother day celebration." Ziva sat up and kissed Tony getting carried away with it. The girls sat around Ziva cuddling with her as she ate her breakfast.

"So what time do we have to be at the school?"

"Ten, so you better hurry sleeping beauty." Tony winked at her. "Why don't you finish up the amazing breakfast your amazing husband made, I'll get the girls dressed and then bring them back so that you can do their hair." Ziva nodded.

"Thank you once again for this wonderful surprise. I love you three very much." They left to get ready and left Ziva to finish her breakfast.

Tony, Ziva, and the girls were one of the first to arrive. Surprisingly the first ones there were the team. Gibbs was with Jenny, and their seven year old daughter, Kristen**.** She was the perfect combination of Gibbs and Jenny. He´s personality, the head slap habit, and icy blue eyes but her mother´s red hair, smile, and sense of humor. McGee was also there with his wife, Alexandra, whom was four months pregnant. Abby and Ducky were there as well to offer Lila and Francesca support.

Lila and Francesca went to go find their teachers while Ziva and Tony went to go say hi to the team. Like a proud mama she showed her mother´s day cards off to the team. "These girls adore you Ziva. You should be very proud." Jenny told Ziva after reading what they had written in the cards.

Ziva blushed she hated all the attention she was getting. The team was chatting when they saw the social worker show up with the Dupree and their son, Patrick. "I did not think she would show up let alone with them." Ziva spat. The team noticing both Tony and Ziva´s obvious anger asked who they were. "That is the social worker from hell and the other people are the family that wants to adopt Francesca."

It was now eleven o´clock and the play was about to start. The teachers ordered the parents to take a seat. The curtain rose and Lila stood on stage. "I like to thank you all for coming. Pwease tuwn off cellphones, pagers and enjoy the show." She curtsied and walked of the stage. The rest of the kids came out singing a mommy and me song. About all the things that made their mom great.

The rest of the play continued. Throughout parents were laughing, clapping, aweing, and some were even crying. Every once in a while Ziva would glance over to Penelope Dupree and think _you are not supposed to be here. _It was nearing the end and Francesca stepped on stage as the other students cleared out. She had played the role of the mom in the play and the teachers liked the idea of having her be the one to thank all of the moms and then thank her mom for everything she had done. Ms. Addison walked out as well and stood at the microphone. "Francesca Castellano who played the role of the mom has a few words she would like to say to all the moms here." The crowd clapped her on.

She was nervous and Ziva could tell. She was fidgeting with her nails, her face immediately turning red as a tomato, and shaking slightly. Francesca turned to look at Ziva to calm her nerves. _She could do this there was nothing to be nervous about_. Ziva smiled giving her the courage to start. She took a deep breath "I would like to start by wishing every one a Happy Mother´s day. It means a lot to the cast that each and every one of you came to watch us perfowm. This play was for every mother out there. You mean the world to us and we wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you. Now I was supposed to come up here and thank my mom for coming. But unfortunately I can´t my mommy no here she is in heaven with daddy. So happy mother´s day mommy wherever you are. You were the best mommy I love you and I miss you." Her voice started to break as the tears feel. "But there is one person I would like to thank for every thing she has done for me. She took me in when I had nowhere to go, she provided me with a home, a family, and cuddles with me when I have nightmares. She is the bestest temporary mommy in the world and for that I am grateful. If you were to ever be my mommy I would be the happiest girl on earth. This is for you, Ziva." Once she finished her speech she started to sing a song she had dedicated to her; A mother's love by Jim Brickman.

Ms. Addison came out with a bouquet of flowers. She knew it wasn't fair to favor a mother. But they were really taken to everything Ziva and Tony had done for Francesca. They really admired what they had done and wanted to give her a little something extra on mother´s day. She walked over whispered something into Francesca´s ear and handed her the bouquet of flowers. "I would like to give these flowers to you from Ms. Addison and I. Come up here Ziva." The crowd clapped and awed. Some were even crying. The social worker just sat their pissed. The DiNozzo were not to become her family the Dupree were.

Ziva was in tears. She was stunned by everything that Francesca had told her. This beat every piece of expensive jewelry or bought gifts anyone had ever given her. These types of gifts were the best a mom could ever receive.

Tony noticed her hesitation. He knew she hated for people to see her cry and didn't like all the attention to be on her. He gave her hand a tight squeeze, "go."

Ziva got up and walked towards the stage the entire team was in tears and those who were too manly were smiling widely. That was the sweetest thing any of them had ever heard. McGee´s wife, Alexandra, sat their crying and rubbing her belly hoping that one day their son would love them just as much as that little girl loved Tony and Ziva.

She reached the stage and hugged Francesca, "I love you, sweetie. Thank you for all of this. It really means a lot to me" she whispered. Francesca handed her the flowers and they walked off the stage together holding hands. Ms. Addison informed the parents that there were refreshments in the back and they were free to wander around the classroom.

Tony took Francesca and placed her on her lap, Ziva took the sit next to him while they waited for Lila to come out of the pretend dressing rooms. The whole team one by one congratulated her. Then Ziva and finally Tony "That was some amazing acting I'm really proud of you. Remember when you asked me if Ziva would be mad if you didn't call her mom?" Francesca nodded. "Well I don't know what you were so worried about. The things you said to her made her extremely happy. She cried a thousand times worse than she did this morning and she rarely cries. You just made this the best mother´s day for her." Tony smiled and hugged her. She hugged him back.

"So she no mad I no call her mommy and I talk about my mommy too?" The little girl was still worried that by not calling Ziva mommy she was offending her.

"No of course not. She understands that you already have a mommy you love very much."

"Thank you, Tony." She leaned against his chest. "You the best pretend daddy, I love you very much."

"I love you too, pumpkin." He kissed the top of her head.

But their moment was ruined by the social worker. She had come over with the Dupree family. She cleared her throat and Tony looked up. "Can I help you?" Tony answered her the same way she had interrupted their moment, rudely.

"I wanted for Francesca to spend some time with the Dupree family as well."

Francesca frowned and sighed. "Just go with them for a bit while I go get Ziva´s other present." She nodded and Tony gave her a kiss on the head. He put her down so she could follow them to get some food. Tony got up and walked to where his boss was seated with his wife, daughter and Abby. "Hey boss I need to go get something can you keep an eye on Francesca? She´s with the social worker."

"Sure DiNozzo. That´s one amazing kid you got there." Gibbs smiled and put one hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks boss and I know. We got lucky." He walked to find Ms. Addison.

Ziva walked back with Lila and joined Gibbs and Jenny. "Where´s Tony and Francesca?"

"Tony went to ask the teacher something and the social worker came to get Francesca so she could spend some time with the other family." Gibbs informed Ziva. "You did an awesome job munchkin. You were the cutest little sister I ever saw."

Lila blushed and got closer to Ziva. "You were really good." Jenny congratulated her and then she turned to Ziva. "Wow, Ziva I can´t even begin to imagine what you´re feeling. I never expected Francesca to say all of that. She left me breathless. I can tell she really appreciates what you have done for her. That little girl loves the both of you so very much."

"We love her very much too. But I am an emotional wreck. I have cried today what I have not cried in my whole life. Tony told me that apparently Francesca was very upset when she found out she was the lead and had to give this speech."

"Why?" Jen asked. Confused as to why someone would be upset about getting the lead role.

"She was conflicted, she didn't want to feel like she was disrespecting her mom but at the same time she didn't want to upset me." Jenny still seemed confused. How would the girl be upsetting Ziva? "She thought that I would be mad or sad if she didn't call me mom or take about me as her mother. So she worked something out with the teacher and I guess this is how they went about it. I can honestly say I was stunned."

"It´s surprising isn't it how much impact we have on our kids." Jenny smiled. She was grateful every day for her daughter, Kristen, her miracle baby.

Ziva nodded in agreement. "Mommy, can Lila and I go play on the playground?" Kristen asked her mom. Jenny nodded and off Lila and Kristen went.

Tony came back to the table where Gibbs, Jenny, Abby, McGee, Alexandra, Ducky, and Ziva were sitting. He approached Gibbs from behind so that Ziva could not see that he was carrying a present. "Where´s Lila and Francesca, boss?"

"Lila went with Kristen to the playground and Francesca is still with the social worker and the other family." He whispered to him.

"Would you mind going to get Francesca while I get Lila and Kristen?"

"No problem DiNozzo." Gibbs got up and headed towards the social worker and Tony went to get Lila and Kristen.

They met back at the table and Tony grabbed the girls and cleared his throat grabbing the attention of everyone at the table. Gibbs smiled because he was in on the surprise. Everyone else just stared at him confused. "Excuse me if I could have everyone´s attention at this table. The girls and I have another surprise for Ziva. The girls took the bag that contained Ziva´s surprise and walked over to give it to her.

Ziva took the present. "What is this?" she asked surprised.

"Open it," Tony told her excited.

She opened it and found another handmade card made by both the girls. It had written on it Mother´s day surprise part two presents to you and on the inside it said a four day trip to DiNozzo resort in a tropical place and the tickets were located on the inside as well. "Tony?"

Tony blushed, "I just thought the four of us could use a mini vacation away from all of the adoption stress, the social worker, and just relax. But if you don't like it I can always get you something else." He said worried that maybe Ziva wouldn't like the surprise.

"Tony, I love it thank you." She went over to him wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a very thankful kiss. She then bent down and hugged both of the girls each on one side. "Thank you girls for everything, I love you."

Abby whispered over to Ducky. "Ziva DiNozzo is one very fortunate woman."

"That she is my dear that she is." Ducky responded smiling at how wonderful the evening was turning out.

Jenny leaned over and whispered in Gibbs´s ear jokingly. "You should learn from DiNozzo. You never surprise me like that anymore."

Gibbs´s whispered back smiling "Well I´ll have you know that once DiNozzo and Ziva return, you, Kristen, and I were going to take a trip down to Hawaii. But you got ahead of me and ruined your surprise." Jenny was speechless. Instead of finding the right words she just kissed her wonderful husband.

The perfect evening between the team came to an end when the social worker once again approached them with the Dupree. "Well we will be going now. I wanted Francesca to say bye to them." Francesca went over reluctantly to say her goodbyes to Penelope, Patrick and John. "I´ll have you know that their hearing is in less than two weeks and they should have Francesca real soon. Also I would like to pick her up early tomorrow morning so that she can spend the day with them since the other night she was ´sick´." She tried to ruin their night by giving them that bit of information. But what she didn't know was they had their hearing in less than two weeks as well.

**Please make my day and review :)**


	4. LA Vacation Part 1

**[A/N Thank you to all the people who have favorite, followed, and especially taken the time to review. It is for all of you that I am excited to continue writing for you. Please continue reviewing and enjoy this chapter. It is part 1 of their trip to LA]**

**Disclaimer: I don't know own NCIS**

"Flight 213 to Los Angeles has been delayed." A flight attendant came on the intercom and announced it through the whole airport.

"Perfect just perfect." Tony whined. They had been sitting there for nearly an hour waiting for their flight to board and now it had been delayed.

Ziva placed a hand on Tony's thigh. "On the bright side the girls are still asleep." She tried to be optimistic but she had spoken too soon. Lila started to stir; she rubbed her eyes and leaned against Ziva´s chest. "Good morning tateleh."

"Ssh," she put a finger on her lips, "tateleh sleeping." She closed her eyes and cuddled into Ziva's chest. She also added some fake snoring for emphasis.

Tony and Ziva both laughed. "Well if Lila is sleeping then she does not want this chocolate bar." She pretended to be holding a chocolate bar.

Lila opened one eye and looked around for the chocolate bar. She put her hands on her hips. "Hey, you no have chocolate baw."

Ziva attacked Lila with kisses. Lila laughed so hard she almost peed herself. Meanwhile Francesca began to whimper in her sleep. Cuddled in Tony´s arms he rubbed circles on her back to sooth her. Ziva looked at Tony with a worried expression. She knew these were the signs of a coming nightmare. "Mama pee-pee," Lila wiggled around signaling to her parents that she had to pee.

"Will you be okay while I take Lila?" Tony nodded. She didn't want to leave in case Francesca did have a nightmare. She normally woke up wanting Ziva and only she could manage to calm her down.

"Mama pee-pee," Lila repeated. She urgently had to go. She jumped off her mom´s lap and pulled her towards the restroom. Ziva kissed the top of Francesca´s head and headed towards the restrooms with Lila.

Francesca began to get fussy once Ziva had left. She started to whimper and move around. Then the whimpers turned into cries and screams. "Tony, Ziva, help me! No leave me too! Ms. Audrey no, I no want to go!" She kept screaming. Tony tried to shake her awake. By now she was kicking and punching him. "No leave Ziva. No leave me!"

"Francesca, it´s okay, you´re okay." He hugged her tightly so she would stop shaking. At the sound of Tony´s voice she woke up hysterical.

"Tony. You no leave me." she cried and hugged him.

He hugged her back "I´m here, I'm not going anywhere I promise" and they stayed hugging each other for a while.

She had stopped crying and was now looking around for Ziva. When she didn't see her she started to cry. "Ziva?" she cried for her. "Ziva" hiccup "gone?"

"No she's not gone. She just went to the restroom." Tony continued to rub her back to provide some sort of comfort.

"I want Ziva." She began to cry louder. Tony tried to hug her but she fought him off. She didn't want Tony now she wanted Ziva.

People were starting to stare and Tony had no clue on what to do because nothing was calming her down. Ziva was still not back from the restroom and he was growing anxious. She was getting more hysterical by the minute and people were starting to give him dirty looks. He didn't care about the dirty looks all he cared about was that Francesca was crying and he wasn't enough to comfort her.

Thankfully Lila and Ziva were now walking back and she hurried back as soon as she caught on to Tony's weary expression. "What is wrong?" Ziva asked Tony as she took Francesca from his arms and began to rub circles on her back.

"She started screaming for us to not leave her and telling Audrey that she didn't want to go. When I finally got her to wake up I told her that I wasn't going to leave her and she managed to calm down. But when she didn't see you she got hysterical and there wasn't anything I could do." Anyone could have heard the desperation in his voice. He felt horrible for not being able to calm her down the second time.

Ziva noticed this immediately. "Tony, you did exactly what you had to do. You did fine at handling your first nightmare crisis." He smiled thankful at his wife's reassurance. Francesca settled deeper into Ziva´s embrace. "It is okay sweetie. I am here and I am not going to leave you. I promise." Ziva continued to rub her back to get her to settle down. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

She nodded. "I dreamt that Ms. Audrey came to take me from you and Tony and you just let her. You no try to keep." She took a long pause fidgeting with her hands again nervous to ask her next question. "You no want me no more?"

"Of course we want you. What makes you think other wise?" Ziva asked. _Have I given reason to think that we do not want her?_

The little girl wiped tears from her eyes. "Yesterday Ms. Audrey told me that I go with the Dupree cause I no you real daughter and you no want me." Ziva glanced over to look at Tony. He certainly was pissed and wasn't trying to hide it. _I'll kill her. _

_Damn her she will say just about anything to convince Francesca that we do not want her. I will kill her. _"Sweetie Tony and I love you very much. We want you to stay here with us."

"I no no want Cesca to go no where." Lila added in not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

"You want to know a little secret?" Tony asked. He thought now would be the perfect time to tell her about the adoption. Francesca nodded. Ziva sat back in her spot and they all gathered around to listen to Tony´s secret. "Shortly after we get back from the trip we have a hearing with the judge." Francesca scrunched her face in confusion. "That basically means that Ziva, a judge, a social worker, and I are going to sit down and see if Ziva and I are suitable to take care of a child. If the judge agrees then you will officially became a DiNozzo." Tony smiled he liked the idea of her becoming a DiNozzo. "What do you think about that?"

Her eyes lit up and she smiled wide. "I love it but Ms. Audrey say that I have to go with Penelope, John, and Patrick."

"Not if the judge picks us and I have a very good feeling he will." Tony winked at her.

"Yay" I be a NiNozzo!" She was in such a better mood that Tony couldn't resist a smile. Both his and Francesca's mood had taken a complete turn. Ziva hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss on the head. She was so grateful to have such a wonderful family and that Francesca would soon be a part of it.

"Flight 213 to Los Angeles, California is now boarding." Everyone so eager to get on the plane rose from their chairs and started collecting their belongings. "Now boarding passenger with small children." The woman announced.

"That's us come on," and off the family went to board the plane.

They were now three hours into their flight with two more to go. Luckily though the girls had fallen asleep as soon as they had boarded the plane. But now they were up and full of energy. Thankfully Ziva had prepared a backpack with stuff for them to do like coloring books, regular books and an iPad full of movies courtesy of Tony.

Francesca and Lila were coloring, Ziva was reading a book, and Tony was asleep leaning his head on Ziva´s shoulder. Francesca had just finished coloring a picture of a women and a girl reading a story together. She colored them to resemble Ziva and her. Caught up in the moment she spoke, "mommy, mommy, look!" She stopped herself when she realized what she had said. She shook her head. "I mean Ziva look. I made this for you." She handed her the picture.

Ziva took it but was stunned. Had she actually called her mommy? She decided against getting her hopes up because it was probably a slip of the tongue. Sure enough it was because immediately after she went back to calling her Ziva. "It is beautiful. This you and me yes?"

Francesca nodded. "That's you," she pointed to the women "reading me a story before bed."

"This is a very beautiful picture. Thank you." Ziva smiled.

Not wanting to feel left out Lila yelled. "I color picture for you too mommy!"

"It is gorgeous, tateleh." She took the picture from Lila.

"Why you call Lila, tateleh?" Francesca asked Ziva.

"Tateleh means little darling in Hebrew and I have called her that ever since she was born. It is my nickname for her."

"Like my daddy when he would call me principessa?" Francesca frowned. "I miss my daddy."

"I know you do, tateleh, I know you do."

Ziva gasped as they approached the big black gates that led into the DiNozzo residence. Tony drove up to them and spoke into the intercom. "Who is it?" a manly voice asked.

"Anthony DiNozzo," Tony spoke.

The gates opened "Welcome back, sir." The same voice greeted Tony. He drove into the driveway and parked the car.

Ziva's mouth opened wide as she took in the so-called DiNozzo residence. It was amazing. "Tony why have we never come here before?"

Tony was serious. "I don't like asking my father for favors. But I thought you deserved something special. So I sucked it up and asked him for his vacation home." He gave her a weak smile.

Ziva placed a gentle hand on his cheek and gave him a kiss. "Thank you for being wonderful."

They got out the car with both sleeping girls. Ziva's eyes continued to get big as they walked up to the house. The front had marble statues of lions, the steps and entry way were covered in marble as well, there were roses, shrubs, and miniature orange trees boarding the front part of the house. The front door was a massive dark colored wood glass door.

They walked in and quickly the butler Bernard greeted them. "Master Tony, it is good to see you again. Will you be staying in your room as usual sir?" Tony nodded and Bernard headed to the car to get their bags. Tony led Ziva up the left side of the grand staircase that divided into two. They passed many doors and Ziva began to get curious as to what they all contained. Tony finally opened a door and stepped in. "The girls can sleep in here." Tony placed Lila on the bed and Ziva proceeded to do the same with Francesca. He grabbed a blanket from the wooden chest that rest on the foot of the bed and covered the girls with it. They then walked hand in hand out of the beach themed bedroom.

Tony led them to another door that was right next to the girls' room. "This mademoiselle, is our room." He opened the door and led her in. She let go of Tony's hand and went straight to inspect their room. She opened a door and noticed it led to the room where the girls were fast asleep cuddled with one another. _That is very practical in case the girls need something. _She then went to open another. This one led to the ensuite bathroom. Ziva looked like a little girl on Christmas morning. Tony just stood on the bed chuckling at Ziva's reaction to this place.

The ensuite bathroom had an amazing Jacuzzi bathtub. _We will have to take advantage of that bathtub. _She went to another door that led to an even bigger closet. _Wow this closet is amazing. _She walked back to the room to join Tony. "So you hate it right?" He told her sarcastically.

"Yeah so much that I want that tub and closet for our home." Tony grabbed Ziva's waist and pulled her onto him. "Tony!" She giggled as he pulled her on top of him.

"We will just have to take advantage of the tub as much as possible." Tony smirked, as did Ziva, knowing full well that she was thinking the same thing. Tony pulled Ziva on top of the bed and then got on top of her kissing her passionately on the lips. He then traveled down her neck, to her clavicle, moving her shirt so that he could kiss her shoulders, and continued to travel down her body. When he got to her stomach he lifted up her shirt to kiss her belly. He then attempted to take off her shirt in hopes that Ziva would agree to what he wanted.

Ziva knowing full well what Tony was thinking pulled his hands of her shirt. "Tony the girls are next door they could wake up any moment." Tony looked like a little kid who had just gotten his candy taken away. "Tonight I promise." Ziva kissed Tony and once again he attempted to take the kiss further but as he was going to try he was interrupted by a knock. Tony sighed and Ziva smirked. "Told you," she told him.

Tony kissed her one last time, reluctantly got off Ziva and went to open the door that led to the girls' room. "Daddy!" Lila screamed and jumped into Tony's arms.

"Hey pumpkin did ya miss me?" Tony asked wondering what had brought on Lila's excitement.

Francesca slid right past them and went to sit on the bed next to Ziva. "Cesca nd I wake up nd we no see you o mommy. So we get scared cause we no no where we awe."

Tony ruffled his daughter's hair and went to sit on the bed to join Francesca and his wife. "There is no reason for you to be scared we are in grandpa DiNozzo's house." Lila smiled. She had heard of her grandpa DiNozzo but hadn't actually met the man. "Now that we have established where we are and you girls are awake how about we go change and go explore LA?" Tony asked his family suggesting that they get off the bed and go change.

"Daddy what LA?" Ziva, Tony, and Francesca just started to laugh.

Lila got mad that they had laughed and not answered her question. She put her hands on her hips and made a pissed off face.

Once they had settled in and changed. They all hopped into the red convertible and drove top down towards Hollywood. They drove down rodeo drive all the while Lila kept screaming. "Daddy look! Mommy did you see!"

Tony found a place to park and they headed towards Rodeo drive so that they could look around. They went into every store possible. Anyone would have thought all the shopping bags were Ziva's but in reality two-thirds of them were Tony.

After some shopping in Burberry, Coach, Prada, Ralph Lauren and Tiffany's they dropped their bags off at the car and headed over to the Hollywood walk of fame. They would stop every minute or so to take a picture with the stars. Both held on tightly to the girls not letting them out of their sight once. There were so many people coming and going they didn't want them getting lost with the crowd. They stopped at Grauman's Chinese theater to see the other famous people's cement blocks that were there. Tony being a fan of cinema stopped at Shirley Temples' block and they all leaned down to take a picture.

Ziva heard screaming, "Help! Help!" Ziva turned around and saw an old women screaming. She then scanned the perimeter, her NCIS and mossad training kicking in, and saw a man running off with an old lady's purse. Tony must of heard it too because he stood up immediately. But Ziva was quicker and took off running after the man. Tony was not far behind. By the time he caught up Ziva had already twisted the man's arm, had him face down on the floor, snatched the purse and threw it to Tony as soon as he approached them.

Tony moved over to the man's side. The man wiggled and kept telling Ziva to release him. She just kept tightening her grip on his arm causing the man to wince every time. "Hey dirt bag the next time you want to steal somebody's purse I'd think twice."

The guy didn't say anything he just scoffed. Ziva twisted his arm even more. "Okay okay," the man said.

Tony laughed because he knew Ziva could get the man to do anything. She was that good. "Now I want you to go apologize to the nice lady." Ziva told the man.

"Yeah right." Again Ziva twisted his arm.

"I'd do what she says man." Tony took out a paperclip and held it up. "See this paperclip she can kill you twenty different ways with it." The man's eyes widen with fear thinking that this chick was crazy.

He finally agreed and they walked him over to the old lady to apologize. He did and returned her purse. She thanked all of them and then returned with her family. After the rush of catching the man vanished from Ziva's body she finally came into realization. She looked around. "Tony the girls!" The blood left both of their faces and they went completely pale. They sprinted back so fast to where they had last left the girls that they almost passed out. They reached the girls panting Ziva took both of them into a hug. "We are so sorry." Ziva apologized. She could see the fear in both of the girls' eyes. One minute they were taking a picture and the next their parents were running after some guy leaving them standing there, wondering. They had been so freaked out and had not known what to do.

All four embraced into a hug glad that they were all okay. "No do that to us ever again. We so scared." Francesca cried out against Tony's chest.

"We are sorry, tateleh. How about we keep walking around, yes?" Francesca nodded and they headed off to continue the walk of fame. Again Tony wanted to stop at almost all the stars to take pictures with. Halfway through they walked into a shopping center where they headed straight to the back to look at the Hollywood sign. It was cloudless and sunny so the sign was perfectly visible.

Francesca and Lila began to lick their lips as the smell of pizza hit their noses. It was coming from the California Pizza kitchen next door. "I hungry, Tony" Francesca said as she pulled on Tony's pant leg.

"Me too," Lila added in. Both their little tummies making a huge growling noise.

"What would you like to eat?"

"Pizza!" Both girls screamed.

"Well good thing there is a pizza restaurant right next door, yes?" Ziva asked Tony.

They headed in to CPK and walked up to the hostess. "Table for four?" She grabbed two adult menus and two kiddy menus. "Follow me," she led them to the back of the restaurant to an empty table. "Your server will be right with you." She placed the menus on the table and walked off.

The girls were occupied coloring in their kiddy menus so Tony took this opportunity to ask Ziva why she had just taken off after the guy. "Ziva, I thought we came to LA to get away from chasing after bad guys."

"I know we do not usually chase after purse snatchers but it was something about the lady that reminded me of my grandmother. I just could not not help her."

Tony took her hand and smiled at her. "Well no matter the reason I am proud of you. You kicked some series butt." Trying to lighten the mood Tony looked over to the girls. "So what kind of pizza do you girls want?"

"Sausage, pepperoni, and bacon" Lila said.

Both Ziva and Francesca made a disgusted face. "I want a vegetarian pizza."

"Look Ziva you finally have someone on your side." Before Francesca it was always two to one. Ziva always lost when it came to picking pizza but now they were tied.

Ziva hugged Francesca one handed. "I knew I liked you." She joked.

"Well then we will get one family sized pizza. Half vegetarian for them" Tony made a disgusted face "and the other half meat lovers for us."

The waitress came over. She was a typical Californian girl the type that Tony would have before flirted with almost immediately. "Hi I'll be your waitress. Can I start you off with anything to drink."

"Raspberry tea. Apple juice for the girls in kiddy cups." Ziva informed the waitress.

"Peach tee for me, please." Tony told the waitress.

"Alright I will be right back with your order."

Tony stopped the waitress before she left. "Can we go ahead and order?" The waitress nodded. "We want the family pizza. Half vegetarian and half meat lovers."

"Right away sir" the waitress left to place their order.

Meanwhile the girls had been playing tic tac toe. "I win!" Lila squealed excited that she had won.

"No you cheat, you keep cheating but I no mind cause you little." Francesca had not minded letting Lila win even though she cheated but she hated that she kept bragging.

"I no cheat." Lila pounded her fist on the table.

"No sorry, you no cheat. You won fairly." Francesca told Lila avoiding a fight with Lila. She hated fighting and knew if she got into arguments with Lila maybe Tony and Ziva wouldn't keep her.

Lila didn't want to play with Francesca anymore so she asked her dad to play with her. Francesca did the same with Ziva. "Mom, I uh mean, Ziva sorry you want to play?"

"Sure" Ziva took a crayon and began playing. They had played about four games now when the pizza arrived. Ziva stared at Tony and Lila's side of the pizza. "Tony that is a heart attack on a pizza. You need to start eating healthier." She cut a slice of her vegetarian pizza and placed it on Tony's plate. "Here try it I know you will like it."

Tony looked at it in disgust. "Well if I have to try it you have to eat a slice of mine."

Ziva made the same face Tony had made. She swallowed hard. "Okay" Tony placed a slice on her plate, and then gave a slice to Lila, and a vegetarian slice to Francesca.

The girls ate theirs staring as both their parents struggle to eat the others pizza. Halfway through that slice they were starting to enjoy it. "It's not that bad I guess I can start eating more nutritional things." Tony admitted.

"And I guess I can afford to loosen up a bit and eat some junk now and then." Ziva admitted as well.

They finished eating their dinner and headed to find some place for desert. On the way back to the car they found a frozen yogurt place. The girls ran straight to the machines getting the cups and trying to fill them up for themselves. But they were too short to reach. Ziva came over to help them. All three had gotten the natural flavor topped with fruit. Tony on the other hand had gotten cake batter and topped it off with reeses peanut butter cups.

They went to sit at a table talking about what stuff they wanted to do while they were here. Lila had finished up her ice cream and was now eating Francesca's without her knowing. When she noticed Lila eating her ice cream she screamed at her. "Lila stop. This my ice cream."

Lila continued to eat more. Tony had gone to get Ziva's other gift and Ziva was on the phoe so had left the table to take it. "Lila stop" she told her once again."

But she didn't listen. She kept eating her yogurt. "No! Me want more." Lila was going to take another spoonful when Francesca hit away her hand. "Ow Cesca that hurt." She cried.

"Then no eat my ice cream." She told her. She hadn't wanted to hit her but she just wouldn't stop.

Lila got mad. She had taken after her mother and was a fighter. She didn't like being beat up no matter if she had been the one picking the other. Francesca continued to eat her frozen yogurt like nothing had happened. This made Lila even madder. She stretched out her hand and tipped Francesca's frozen yogurt getting it all over her. "Lila!" Francesca screamed.

This grabbed Ziva's attention. Francesca had now proceeded to semi push Lila on her chest. "I will have to call you back Abby." Ziva hung up her phone and headed back to the table before anything else could happen.

"No push me!" Lila was furious her face had turned completely red. Francesca was getting angry too. First she stole her ice cream which if she had asked she wouldn't have minded and then she spills her ice cream on her. Lila pounded her fist on her thighs and then pulled her hair.

"Lila stop!" Francesca did the same she pulled Lila's hair. Just then Ziva made it over to the table where both girls where pulling each other's hair not letting go until the other did.

Tony had walked in when Ziva had hung up with Abby making it over to the table with Ziva. He pulled the girls apart. Tony was furious he hated making a scene. "Ziva grab Lila, I'll take Francesca. We will discuss what happen back at home." They made their way back to the car. "Now will somebody like to tell me what happened?" Tony wasn't playing around and everyone could see that.

"Cesca slapped me, pushed me, nd pulled my hair." Lila informed her dad leaving out everything she had done not wanting to get in trouble.

"Is that true?" Tony looked over at Francesca.

"Yes but Lila started it. She kept eating my yogurt and I asked her to stop. But she said no and kept eating it. So I slapped her hand when she tried to eat more. Then she tipped the ice cream over and it got all over me." Both had just now noticed that she had ice cream all over her. Ziva got out of the car and went to get some wet napkins to clean Francesca off. "So I got angry and I semi pushed Lila in the chest. She then pulled my hair and then I pulled hers. I really sorry. I no want to fight but she wouldn't stop and I got angry."

Tony now turned to look Lila "is this true?" Lila nodded and put her head down. She didn't want to look her dad in the eyes. She knew he was very angry. "Now I want both of you to apologize to each. What you did was not right. Lila you shouldn't have taken Francesca's yogurt especially after she told you to stop and then you shouldn't have spilt it on her. That wasn't nice. Now Francesca you shouldn't have slapped Lila. I know you asked her to stop and she wouldn't but instead of hitting her you should have gotten Ziva or I to handle it."

Both girls turned to look at each other. "I sorry Lila. I shouldn't have slapped you or pushed you. Well you forgive me?" Francesca apologized.

"I forgive you. I sorry too, Cesca. I have not take you yogut and I no split it. You fogive me?" Lila apologized sincerely.

"I forgive you." Both girls hugged each other Francesca getting yogurt on Lila.

Ziva showed back with the wet napkins. Tony and Ziva both smiled. "See now that's what I like to see. My two favorite girls getting along."

Ziva pulled Francesca out of the car to wipe her off trying to get as much of the yogurt off her dress as possible. Luckily they would both be getting a bath once they got back to Tony dad's house.

After the girls bath, which resulted in Tony and Ziva getting soaking wet, Ziva went to tuck the girls in and Tony escaped to prepare a surprise for Ziva. "Mommy can you read us a story?" Lila asked Ziva.

"Not tonight. Mommy is tired." Ziva replied pulling the comforter over both girls, tucking them in tightly, and giving each girl a kiss on the forehead. "Good night, tatelehs.

"Good night mommy" Lila yawned. She was extremely tired.

"Good night Ziva" Francesca was barely able to keep her eyes open as well.

Ziva blew them a kiss, turned the lights off, and headed back to her bedroom. "Tony? Tony?" She called out looking for him. Today had been exhausting and all she wanted was a relaxing bath. She headed to the bathroom to prepare herself one. But when she walked in she found the bath filled with bubbles and candles surrounding it. Tony was in the tub with two glasses of champagne. "What is all this?"

"I just thought that we could use a relaxing bath. Now come on get in." He waved Ziva over to the bath.

Ziva quickly undressed herself, went in the tub, and sat in front of tony. He wrapped his arms around her waist, Ziva took his hand in hers, and he started kissing her behind the ear lobe just where she liked it. "I love you Ziva DiNozzo."

She turned her head upward and kissed Tony on the lips fiercely. "And I love you Tony DiNozzo." He took a glass of champagne and handed one to Ziva and kept one for himself. "Thank you."

They sat like that for a while. Ziva seated in front of Tony with his arms around her waist, his hands in hers, her head laying on his chest and his cheek leaning on the top of her head. There was no speaking just enjoying being in each other's arms. It had been a while since they had been able to do this. Tony started kissing Ziva behind the ear lobe traveling down her neck reaching her clavicle wanting to take this where they had not been able to this afternoon. He kept kissing her each time traveling further down her body.

Ziva knowing where Tony wanted to lead with this stopped him. "Tony" she sighed.

"Please Ziva?" he begged.

She took both hands and placed them on his cheeks. "Not here, bed." She told him.

Tony jumped out of the tub and dried himself off. Ziva was much slower to get out of the tub and dry herself off laughing at how excited Tony was. They headed towards the bed Tony quickly throwing Ziva onto it. "Tony!"

"Sssh Ziva we have to be quiet." Tony put his lips on Ziva to shut her up.

They quickly settled back to where they had left off that afternoon.

Tony had planned to get up early that morning to make Ziva another mother days breakfast and give her the flowers and other present he had gotten her. But after three rounds of sex, they had both managed to fall asleep around three o'clock in the morning, and he was exhausted.

He didn't wake until he heard loud whispering coming from the girls. "Sssh Lila, Tony asleep, Ziva too."

"But it mother day, we congwatulate, mommy." Both girls ran over to Ziva and congratulated her as they had done Friday morning, screaming. This made both Ziva and Tony jump and the girls jumped onto the bed and settled between her parents.

Tony jumped and looked at the clock. He realized it was nine o'clock and had slept in. "Damn it, sorry babe, I was going to make you breakfast but I guess last night tired me out."

Ziva put a hand on his cheek and kissed him softly. "It's okay mon petit pois. You did enough Friday."

Tony lifted a finger and shook it back and forth. "Nu-uh," he got out of bed and headed for his suitcase and pulled out her gift. The flowers would be waiting at the breakfast table with the breakfast he would ensure would be ready. He grabbed the gift and headed back to bed handing her the present.

She took it and smiled. "Tony? You did not have to get me anything else. This trip was already enough."

"Just open it," he demanded her.

Ziva did as he said. She took off the wrapping paper to find a tiffany blue box. She opened that too and found a necklace that held a baby booty outlined in diamonds. It had Lila engraved on one side and on the other September 10, 2009. "This is a baby booty that represent our child with her birthdate." Tony explained to Ziva.

"Aww Tony I love it. Thank you. Can you put it on?" she handed him the necklace and turned around so he could put it on.

"Now yesterday I found out that they have a mother's day festival here and I thought it would be fun to go." He turned to Ziva "Go get ready ill take the girls."

Ziva kissed Tony once last time "Thank you, babe." She got off the bed and headed to the shower.

Once Tony heard the shower running and knew Ziva couldn't hear him he called down to the maids and had them prepare a special breakfast. He then went and got the girls dressed. He picked out two flowery dresses; springtime dresses with some nice white flower sandals. Lila a light blue one with yellow and green flowers all over and Francesca a purple with pink and blue flowers. Once he finished getting them ready he left them on the bed in his room watching TV so once Ziva finished she could do their hair. She made a braided crown on Lila allowing the rest of her wavy locks to fall beautifully. Ziva had French braided Francesca's bangs and allowed her curly, which was just like Ziva's, down.

Once they were all ready they headed down to have breakfast. There were flowers on the table and a whole buffet had been placed. It was perfect for Ziva. She was very thankful for her family. "Tony, you do not know how much I love you."

Finally they had managed to make it to the festival after spending an hour looking for parking. They were now walking through the tents that were set up. This way they allowed the rides and games to die down as people tired themselves out.

Many were food tents; others sold handmade artifacts, vintage, and arts and crafts. They stopped at many arts and craft tents allowing the girls to enjoy themselves and do some crafts.

They stopped at a wooden toys tent where a Mexican woman had brought all kinds of traditional Mexican toys. The woman was at the front of her tent trying to call over customers. "Señora, we have all the games that you must have played with as a little girl in Mexico."

Ziva just stood there shock. Did she just insinuate that she was Mexican? Tony just burst out laughing. "I am sorry but they did not have these types of toys back in Israel."

The women's eyes widened and her checks immediately went red blushing from embarrassment. "I'm so so sorry. If there is anything you want I will give you a great price." The woman was so embarrassed she did not know what to do. Thanks to the women's offer the girls had each picked up a traditional Mexican toy called Valero. They happily attempted to play with them as they continued walking.

They stopped at a photography tent where there was a couple taking pictures. Tony told Ziva that they should take a picture. They went over to the tent and had their picture taken. They had one of all four of them, one of just Tony and Ziva, and another of just the two girls. The pictures would take about two hours to develop so they were given a ticket and told to come back later to pick them up. The man had told them that they had a gorgeous family and in the spirit of Mother's Day he let them have the pictures. Tony was grateful and couldn't just take them so he ended up giving the man a tip instead of actually paying for the pictures.

They continued walking; taking their time stopping at tents buying cookies, brownies, and other sweets for later. By now Ziva's purse was filled with all kinds of sweets, knick knacks they had bought, the million of pictures the girls had made, and the free sponsored stuff some of the tents were giving away. Her purse easily weighed about thirty pounds.

Thankfully for Ziva they had stopped at a massage tent where they were giving free massages to the moms. Tony had to convince Ziva to allow herself a break and get a massage. She had told Tony that only the weak got massages. But he insisted that she wasn't weak. She was a mother to two girls and a full time NCIS special agent. She was nowhere near weak. She could allow herself a massage now and again. She finally gave in and got her massage. Tony took the girls to another arts and crafts tent to keep busy while Ziva got her massage.

Ziva lay in one of those chairs getting a massage. Each time the women massaged a knot Ziva would wince. I _must really be stressed. _Shehad not remembered a time that she had been so tense. But then again they had been dealing with the adoption. After like the millionth wince coming from Ziva the woman started to feel bad. "I'm sorry miss. It's just you have so many knots. Are you in an environmental that provokes a lot of stress?" The masseur had never had someone with so many knots.

Ziva laughed. "I'm a mother of two and an NCIS special agent. It is safe to say I live a stressful life."

"That's funny. I like clients with a bit of sarcasm. Keeps me entertained." She laughed. "The mother thing I understand. But a special agent I doubt it. You don't seem like the type."

Ziva made a face. A type? Well what did a special agent look like? "You do not have to believe me but I am and I can kill you ten different way with my cellphone antennae. Just so you think twice about pissing me off."

The rest of the massage was done in silence. Ziva didn't know if she had scared the women or pissed her off. But she did not say a word after the comment. She finished the massage quickly and Ziva thanked her. She felt wonderful. The massage had done wonders for her.

She caught up with Tony and the girls sneaking up behind and yelling DiNozzo. She assumed he must have been distracted because he jumped and yelled. "Yes boss" Ziva laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. She loved making him call her boss.

He turned his head and saw that it was just Ziva. "What have I said about doing that to me?" He whined.

"I'm sorry you were there and I saw the perfect opportunity I just could not pass it up." She leaned her head on his back.

"I will forgive you today only because it's Mother's Day. How was your massage?"

"It was helpful. I feel so much better. Except for the lady asked me if I lived in a stressful environment. I told her I was a special agent and she did not believe me she said I wasn't the type. So she made me angry. I told her I could kill her ten different ways with my cellphone antennae."

Tony turned around so that he was facing her. "Ziva what have I said about threatening to kill people with whatever you can find?"

"She pissed me off I am sorry. I cannot change who I am."

Tony laughed. "You will always have that Mossad training deeply embedded in you." He kissed Ziva. He still couldn't believe she was his wife.

She nodded in agreement. That was all she had known until she joined NCIS. She would always have that violent instinct. Instead now she used it for good. "What are the girls doing?"

"They are making more crafts." Tony replied.

Ziva smiled. "I do not think another thing will fit in my purse. I think after this we should head to the rides."

They kissed once more. "Your wish is my command." He took her hand and kissed it.

"Daddy my feet hurt." Lila whined they had now been riding rides and playing at the game booths for about two hours. The girls were starting to get restless and hungry.

"Last ride I promise." Tony had been looking forward to riding the mouse kid roller coaster. Lila held up her arms so that her dad could carry her. But instead he picked her up and sat her on his shoulders.

Francesca looked just as tired as Lila but she had not complained. Ziva worried that she still wasn't completely comfortable to express how she felt with them. "Cesca, "Ziva used the nickname Lila had given her, since she wasn't able to say Francesca, had caught on. "Do you want me to pick you up?"

"Please I really tired." She put her arms up and Ziva lifted her up. Not like Tony though. She carried her against her hip.

They finally moved up in the line. They got in the mouse cart with both Ziva and Tony on the side with the girls in the middle for safety. The teenage boy in charge made sure they were secured and then announced the rules. The girls had big smiles on their faces but after the first drop their expression turned to that of excitement mixed with panic. After a few minutes they got adjusted and put up their hands and started screaming, enjoying the ride.

Ziva was sure that she wouldn't have any trouble putting them to sleep tonight. After they got off the ride just as Tony had promised he took them over to look through the food tents.

In the end they had all gotten sloppy Joes. They found an empty picnic table by a tree that provided some shade and sat down to enjoy their food. Ziva not wanting the girls to get stained cut theirs up in pieces to make it easier for them to eat. Thankfully they had to ate their food without getting a single stain.

Once they finished their lunch they headed to the photography booth to pick up their pictures.

"Tony? Tony DiNozzo is that you?" a woman called.

Tony looked around and saw his cousin Kathleen. "Kath?" He walked closer to her. "How are you? I haven't seen you in forever?" He took her into a large hug.

Ziva at the sight of this walked over to them with the girls. "Well since Abby's fifth birthday party seven years ago. How have you been?"

"I got married." He held up his left hand to show her the wedding band. Then Ziva walked over and stood by Tony with the girls standing in front of her. "And here she is my beautiful wife. Kath this is Ziva, Ziva this is Kath, my cousin."

Both women stretched out their hands to shake the others. "This is Lila" he pointed to Lila "and this is Francesca."

Kathleen smiled. "I see Lila took over our grandmother. She looks nothing like you no wonder she's so gorgeous." Kathleen joked. "Your oldest is the spitting image of your wife except she has your eyes."

"Thank you." Ziva thanked Kathleen.

"Now where is Abby? I want her to meet her cousins."

"She is at the petting zoo. I left her there while I came to pick up the photographs."

"You too? Well hey we were just heading out because the girls are getting tired. Why don't you come back with us so we can catch up? I want to know how you've been." Tony suggested.

"Alright let me just go get Abby and I will follow you out." Off she went to go collect her daughter.

"How come you never told me you had a cousin named Kathleen?" Ziva asked suspiciously.

"Like she said we haven't seen each other in seven years."

"Oh well it is nice to be able to meet your family." Ziva smiled at Tony. He smiled back happy that she was happy to meet his family.

Kathleen came back with Abby. "Abby these are your cousins Lila and Francesca." She was meeting both for the first time.

"Hi," Abby greeted.

"Hi," Lila and Francesca greeted. After their greetings they walked off to their cars and left to go back to Tony's house.


	5. LA Vacation Part 2

**[A/N this chapter mostly the first part is rated T. I'm just being cautious. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, follows and favorites. All that keeps me writing. Now lets make a deal a minimum of 15 reviews will give you an update Friday night or Saturday morning. So what do you say?]**

**Disclaimer: I do not owe NCIS**

The squeals and pitter patter of two very energetic girls followed by the sound of a glass vase shattering into a million pieces is what woke Tony from his peaceful sleep. He rubbed his eyes and leaned over to look at the clock. It was still very early. They didn't need to be up for another hour. So, rather than go back to sleep Tony turned off the alarm and grinned as he thought of ways to occupy the time. His favorite pastime required the assistance of Ziva so he turned over but found her sleeping; her black curls sprawled all over the pillow and slightly snoring. _This will just not do. _

To get Ziva to wake up Tony kissed her tenderly on her cheeks and lips. Repeating this action until she stirred awake. She opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she saw was Tony only inches from her face. She stares at him and smiles as he leans down to kiss her on her lips once again. He then starts on her collarbone breathing lightly on her soft skin causing shivers to travel down her spine. He moves down to her clavicle moving her hair ever so slightly "Tony," Ziva protested.

He moves back up to her lips kissing her to keep from protesting. She kissed him back and so he took it as a sign to keep going. As he kissed her stomach tenderly he began to lift her shirt distracting her as he moved her pants down slightly exposing her black lace underwear. Ziva slapped his hands away. "Tony?" Again he went back to her lips but she put her hands out and kept him away. "The girls could come in at any minute."

"They are downstairs with Abby and Kathleen. They won't be coming up any time soon." She stayed quiet and so he proceeded to kiss her where he had left off, her hipbone. Quickly and effortlessly she grabbed his hand from its place on her hip, pretending to grab it romantically, kisses him on his lips to distract him and then flips him over onto his side of the bed. Then she jumps out of bed. Tony lay stunned he didn't know what had occurred. When he finally reacts he sits on the bed and stares at Ziva with pouty eyes. "Ziva!" Tony whined like a little child.

Ziva laughed at her husband's adorable fit. She walked back to the bed fixing her pajamas and leaned down to kiss him on the lips. Tony tried to keep the kiss going for as long as possible. But she pulled away and whispered into his ear seductively "I am going to go shower. Care to join?" She walks off looking back over her shoulder, smiling slowly, taking her shirt off and throwing it on the bedroom floor. Leaving a trail of clothes as she walked towards the shower.

After Ziva disappeared into the bathroom Tony jumped out of the bed finally having processed Ziva's words and ripped his clothes off. But instead of instantly jumping in the shower to join his wife he stops dead in his tracks. He wife was fully exposed, looking absolutely radiant, stunning, as water was running through her hair, down her slim, firm, body. He can't wait another more minute to hold her close to his body as steaming hot water fell down them. Ziva had not noticed him watching her as she was humming a tune as she shampooed her hair. But when she finally turns around she notices him and smiles as he too stood outside the shower completely exposed. Ziva points a finger at him and tells him to join her.

Not wanting to wait another second Tony opens the glass door. The heat of the water hitting his face, the steam escaping the shower hiding Ziva's gorgeous body. But once he gets inside, the steam begins to fade and he can feel Ziva's body up against his. He slowly touches her back, tracing circles around every inch of it. She rests her head on the crook of his neck digging her hands in his hair. He moves his hands from her back to her hair moving it from her neck and kissing it slowly, feeling her body react to every kiss and touch. She moves her hands to feel his body, which is pressed firmly against hers; slowly kissing his neck and jaw. Their lips find their way back to each other embracing each other passionately.

Ziva pulls away, smiling up at him, as she lets the water fallover her slender body, knowing how badly the need for one another is. She looks at him smiling slightly waiting for him to just grab her into his embrace. He moves toward her pulling her toward him, pinning her against the wall, she smiled letting him know that she is ready for him. She leans back letting him kiss her neck, which she likes so much, she feels him inside her, his every move, and he knows she is enjoying it as much as he is. They both had really needed this. Feeling each other so close giving themselves to one another. He continues to move with her motions knowing it won't last long, as they both reach climax they move faster together, him kissing her neck, almost slightly biting to let her know he is almost there. She arches her back and lets him bite her neck slightly while he releases the kraken; Ziva squeezes keeping him in, taunting him. At this moment they hear a tiny knock coming from the door. Ziva kisses Tony passionately for a few seconds letting him pull out of her. She gives him one last kiss, gets out of the shower, grabs her bathrobe, opens the door slightly to not show into the bathroom as Tony was still in the shower actually showering, and came face to face with an adorable, wild haired, little girl. "Good morning, tateleh." Ziva greets leaning toward her to kiss her cheek.

"You and Tony come have breakfast with us?" Francesca spoke up.

"Yes sweetie, go get Lila, pick out some shorts, a shirt, and your bathing suits and Tony will be right there to help you get ready." Francesca agreed and went to go find Lila whom was downstairs with Kathleen and Abby.

Ziva headed back to the shower as Tony was coming out. He stopped, put a hand on the small of her back and pulled her towards them. He gave her one last kiss and allowed her to get into the shower. "Tony, that was Francesca they want us downstairs to go have breakfast. So please get dressed and help get them dressed appropriately for the beach." She kindly informed her husband as she started to wash her hair once again.

"Yes ma'am," Ziva glared at him. "umh…Boss" another glare, "Ziva." She smiled at him amazed that she could bestow so much fear in her husband with just a simple glare.

Tony quickly went to get dressed as Ziva finished showering. As Ziva got ready Tony went to get the girls dressed so that they would be ready for Ziva to do their hair as soon as she was finished. Tony dressed them in matching one-piece, bright orange, bathing suits, blue shorts decorated in white anchors and a white shirt with a big blue anchor. Ziva once showered and dressed pulled their hair into a French braid so it would not bother them while at the beach. They both looked so adorable in their matching outfits that Ziva couldn't resist taking a picture of them.

Then all four headed down to join Abby and Kathleen for breakfast. She had prepared French toast, mixed fruit, and strawberry smoothies for everyone. After breakfast Tony and Kathleen stayed in the kitchen to prepare snacks for the beach. Ziva headed back upstairs to pack all the necessities, towels, sunscreen, tanning lotion, hats, extra clothes, etc. The girls were super excited to go to the beach. They had only taken Lila twice in her life and Tony and Ziva had not known if Francesca had ever been. They came into the bedroom every five or so minutes asking Ziva if they were leaving yet.

The six of them took the convertible down to Malibu beach. All three kids chatted the whole way there already planning what type of sand castle they would build. Even though Abby was much older than them they still managed to get along. After suffering through the heat and traffic of Los Angeles they finally made it to the beach. Now the tricky part would be finding parking but fortunately they had found one near the beach entrance. "It's my lucky day." Spoke Tony.

"Well, lets see if your luck can find us a spot on the beach." Kathleen pointed to the beach to show massive amounts of people. It was so crowded not even a needle could fit.

Once they found an open spot suitable for everyone the girls took off running towards the water. Tony grabbed them all in time and placed them in front of Ziva and Kathleen. "Now there are rules we need to establish before we let you go off and play in the sand." Kathleen spoke.

"First you must stay in sight, second you must have an adult with you at all times if you are to go into the water, and thirdly do not talk to any strangers please." Ziva listed the rules.

Kathleen chuckled, _Geez was Ziva strict and a bit uptight_, "Overall just have fun and be safe. Now, Abby as the oldest I want you to take good care of your cousins." Abby nodded.

The girls again tried to take off running but this time Ziva stopped Francesca and Lila. "Nu-uh you need sunscreen first."

"Mommy we no want that it yucky." Lila protested. But Francesca went up to Ziva setting an example for Lila.

Ziva took off Francesca's shirt, short, shoes and proceeded to put sunscreen on her. Once she was finished she called over to Lila. "Come one tateleh your turn."

"Lo, ima." Lila protested stomping her leg in the sand. Whenever she got mad she would argue in Hebrew.

"Come on tateleh, you need sunscreen or you will be as red as a pepper later."

"It's tomato red as a tomato." Tony corrected Ziva.

"Lo!" Lila screamed again. She really hated having anything on her skin, feeling sticky and yucky. She had finally learned to like lotion but sunscreen was another story.

"Akhshav, Lila" Lila knew that when her mom started spatting orders in Hebrew it was because she meant business. Lila sighed and walked over to Ziva. Standing in front of her making faces and complaining each time the cold sunscreen was rubbed onto her skin. "Rav todot." Ziva thanked Lila and kissed her on the cheek.

Lila stretched herself like a starfish and wobbled, hating the feeling of sunscreen on her body, over to where Francesca and Abby where starting the sand castle. At first she stood there watching them until it all dried so she wouldn't get covered in sand. She was one of those rare three year olds that hated getting dirty.

Ziva took off her clothes revealing her black two-piece bathing suit. Tony couldn't stop staring at her. _Wow she looks amazing._ "I am going to go for a swim." Ziva told Tony hoping he would follow after her.

"Okay I'll be right there." Ziva leaned down, gave Tony a kiss and walked off towards the water. Stopping by the girls' sandcastle to see what they were up to.

Once Ziva was out of earshot Kathleen spoke. "Damn Tonybear," she used the same pet name she had given him when she was five years old, "your wife is so uptight."

"No, she's not she's the sweetest woman in the world. She is just a little over protective." Tony defended Ziva. She may have been his cousin but this was his wife she was talking about of which she knew nothing about.

"A little is an understatement." She laughed.

Tony turned to look at Ziva who had just come out of the water throwing her hair back like the actors in those shampoo commercials did. He stared and stared taking in her gorgeousness. It wasn't that she was uptight or overprotective. It was that she had lived through so much and knew the dangers of the world. That she didn't want her kids to suffer through any of it. Ziva was far from uptight. She was a closed book and serious until you got to know the real Ziva. But people always mistook that for her being uptight and bitchy. "Look Kath," Tony got serious, talking about Ziva's past wasn't always a pleasant matter. "If you knew Ziva's past you'd understand why she's the way she is."

Now he had Kathleen curious. "Then tell me so I can understand." She encouraged him.

Tony debated on whether or not to tell her. He knew there were only a few people who really knew anything about her past, him and Gibbs. He guessed he could give her the gist of it and skip over details that she really didn't need to know. "Okay but please don't repeat any of it to Ziva." She nodded. "Okay its not that we are overprotective, we are NCIS special agents so we deal with bad guys everyday; murder, rape, and kidnappings. Sometimes our cases involve children and so we know what the world is like. But Ziva has had it worse. She's Israeli, ex-assassin, and her father is the Deputy Director of Mossad. So she was recruited at a young age, she's lost her mother, her sister, and her brother. She's seen people get murdered, people who blow themselves up, going on deadly missions, and always risking her life. She's lost so many people in her life. She hasn't lived a normal or easy life for that matter. So no she's not uptight its just she's lived a violent life and doesn't want any of what we witness to happen to the girls."

Kathleen stayed quiet. She had not been expecting that kind of response from Tony. She didn't know what to say and Tony spoke before things could get awkward. "I'm going to join Ziva." Kathleen just nodded still unable to form words.

Tony splashed into the water trying to lighten his mood so that Ziva wouldn't catch on and ask too many questions. He threw himself at an on coming wave, went under, and jumped back out splashing Ziva in the process. She just laughed out his name. He swam up to her and placed a very passionate kiss on her lips. "I love you, sweet cheeks."

But unfortunately for him Ziva caught on to his mood quickly. "Tony, are you okay?"

"Perfect!" He replied. He knew she didn't believe him so he quickly kissed her and began to splash water at her. Quickly turning it into a water fight. The girls noticed and got up heading towards the edge of the water calling out for their parents. Tony went over and brought them into the water.

"We play too daddy?" Lila asked her dad excited. Already throwing water at him.

"Yeah come on," Tony laughed. His daughter was such a goofball. He grabbed both girls and headed over to Ziva.

Ziva took Lila and Tony kept Francesca. They continued to splash one another. The girls squealing every time they got splashed. After getting bored with the water fight they went a bit farther into the water and would jump into oncoming waves. Sometimes coming out with some fishes and seashells in their bathing suits.

Abby continued to build the sand castle while Kathleen relaxed and read a book allowing the family to spend some time together. Not wanting to intrude on their moment especially after she had thought so poorly of Ziva.

After spending some time in the water the girls started to get bored. So they got out and went to play in the sand. Between Tony and Ziva they managed to bury the girls up to their necks and give them mermaid bodies. The girls had been so happy. They loved being mermaids.

"Mommy piture, piture!" Lila exclaimed at Ziva. The mermaid bodies that their parents had made them looked so real.

Ziva snapped the picture of the both of them. Lila and Francesca jumped of their sand hole and roared as they did, pretending to be dinosaurs. "Your turn," Francesca told Tony and Ziva.

"Our turn?" Ziva asked Francesca. Not sure what she meant.

"Yeah, in the sand." She pointed to the two holes they had left.

Ziva and Tony got in helping the girls make the holes bigger so that they could fit. After they got them into the holes they started pilling up the sand on them to fill them up. "So what are you going to make us?" Tony asked them.

"Uhm," Lila thought for a moment. "Mommy a beautiful mermaid." Ziva smiled. "And daddy a crab!" She exclaimed as she felt like her idea was brilliant.

"A crab?" Tony whined. Ziva laughed at him. He always got the short end of the stick.

The girls nodded and then proceeded to make their parents into a mermaid and crab. It took them a little longer than it had Tony and Ziva but they finally finished. Kathleen saw what they were doing and laughed. _This deserves a family picture. _She came over to where they were. "Family picture. Francesca and Lila go with your parents." They did and stood behind them.

"Say cheese." Tony made a funny face and the rest smiled regularly. "Perfect."

"Thank god." Tony said as they both got out the sand shaking it off.

"It was starting to get itchy in there." Ziva shook the remaining sand off her body, winning glances from strange men.

"Who's hungry?" Tony asked clapping his hands and rubbing his belly.

Everyone raised his or her hands. Kathleen laughed pulling out sandwiches to hand to everyone. "Thanks" everyone thanked her and sat around to eat their lunch.

They sat there enjoying their lunch eating the sandwiches, fruit, and chips they had packed. The girls had been so hungry they had eaten a whole sandwich each. "Why don't we pack up and head down the beach to explore it?" Tony suggested once they had finished with lunch.

"We look for pwetty seashells?" Lila asked.

"Yeah, we can look for them and take them home." Lila smiled big.

"Sounds like a good idea Tonybear." Ziva rolled her eyes at the name.

Tony started to pack the things while Ziva got the girls out of their soaking wet swimsuits and into their clothes. They sat down on the towels eating a lollipop while the rest continued to pick everything up.

Once finished they dropped everything off at the car except for the girls buckets so that they could collect seashells. Tony and Ziva walked hand in hand with Kathleen at their side and all three girls running ahead of them.

"Ziva! Tony! Look!" Francesca called them over so they could see the blue crab she had found. Abby had picked it up and held it in her hands. So that it wouldn't run away by the time their parents got there.

"What did you find tateleh?" Ziva asked her.

"Abby show them." Francesca told Abby. Abby opened her hands slightly to reveal the blue crab.

"Mom, can we take it home?" Abby asked her mom. Her mom nodded and handed her her bucket. Abby went over to the water to fill her bucket slightly and some sand so that the crab wouldn't die.

"No that no fair. Cesca an I found it fwist. We take it home." Lila argued it wasn't fair that Abby would be the one to take the crab home when it had been Francesca who had found it.

Tony stepped in stopping the little argument before it turned into something greater. "Lila let abby take it home. She leaves her and you live farther away. We can't take it back with us to DC." Tony tried to reason with her.

"But it Cescas." Lila argued back defending her new sister.

"If Cesca is okay with it will you be okay with it?" He asked Lila. She nodded. Tony turned over to Francesca. "Cesca is it okay if Abby takes the crab home?"

"It okay Tony." Francesca agreed. There it was again calling her parents by her name, Kathleen thought.

"Thank you sweetie that is very nice of you."

The girls took off running again looking for more seashells. Kathleen curious, as to why Lila did call them mommy and daddy and Francesca didn't, spoke up. She had not heard all the other times yesterday when Francesca had called them by name. So it was a surprise to hear her now. "Stop me if it is not any of my business but why does Francesca call you by your names?"

Tony and Ziva sighed. He looked over to Ziva for reassurance to as if to tell her or not. Ziva gave him the go ahead. "Well you see Francesca isn't our child."

"But what do you mean she looks just like you guys she has to be yours." Kathleen was surprised she could have sworn Francesca was their biological daughter. She wasn't expecting this answer maybe saying it was a phase or something like that but not this.

"That is just mere coincidence. But she isn't ours." Tony went on to explain the whole story starting with the first time at the crime scene, becoming foster parents, the social worker, torturing their lives, and choosing to adopt her, "and now we are just waiting for our court hearing."

"Well I wish you both the best of luck." Kathleen told them.

They continued their walk stopping ever so often to pick up all the seashells the girls had found. By now their buckets where halfway full and they had reached the end of the beach hitting a rock wall. Which sort of resembled the intertidal zone. They sat down to rest a moment before they headed back to the car. The adults sat on the sand staring onto the horizon as the sun started to set. Taking in the beautiful color of the sky; blues, purples, reds, and oranges. It looked like a sky explosion. It was so beautiful and peaceful. The girls on the other hand had run towards the water trying to see if they could find any more seashells. Lila had found a dried starfish and thrown it into her bucket taking it home to put it in her room as decoration.

"From here do you guys want to go back home, get dressed up and go have a nice dinner?" Tony asked.

Kathleen though had a better idea. "Sounds like a good idea. Except how about I watch the girls and you and Ziva go to that nice dinner. I bet you guys haven't had one of those in a long time."

"Kath no we couldn't do that to you." Tony argued no matter how much his brain was telling him to say yes.

"Yes you can and you will. You deserve a break especially after everything you told me. You want to don't you Ziva?" Kathleen asked Ziva knowing she would convince Tony.

"Yes thank you." Ziva thanked Kathleen and then turned to Tony. "Come on Tony. We could use a the time alone."

"Very well then." He couldn't say no to his wife. "Mrs. DiNozzo would you like to go on a date with me?"

Ziva blushed she loved it when Tony got romantic. "Yes Agent DiNozzo I would." They kissed taking advantage of the perfect evening.

"I have written my cell phone number and Tony's and placed them on the fridge. If anything happens please call us." Ziva told Kathleen as they were standing in the foyer getting ready to leave.

Ziva was dressed in a stunning emerald, green, boat neckline dress that fell down to mid calf. Her hair was swept up to one side allowing her natural curls to fall down her neck. Tony was wearing a black suit, light blue dress shirt, and a striped blue tie. They both looked quite dashing.

"I will but everything will be okay." Kathleen put a hand on Ziva's shoulder. "Go enjoy yourself." She ushered them out of the house.

"Girls we are leaving." Ziva called to them so they could come say goodbye. They approached. "Shalom." She told them and gave them each a kiss.

"Shalom, mommy," Lila kissed her mom on the nose and gave her a hug. She then went over to say bye to her dad. "Bye daddy."

"Shalom, Ziva" Francesca repeated what Lila and Ziva had said. Also giving her a kiss and a hug and then going over to Tony. "Bye Tony."

The couple left leaving their girls with Kathleen for the night. They hopped into the convertible and headed off for the night to Vincente Ristorante, a fancy Italian restaurant. They pulled up to the restaurant, left the car for the valet; Tony put his arm on the small of Ziva's back and led them to the hostess. "Reservation for DiNozzo."

The hostess looked it up on the computer, "Yes sir right this way." She grabbed two menus and led them over to their table. Tony pulled Ziva's chair out so that she could sit and then he went to go sit himself. The hostess gave each a menu "your server will be right with you." Tony smiled and she left.

"Do you think the girls are okay? Maybe we should call them? You know Francesca really has not been with many strangers without us there." Ziva began to worry about the girls they had only really known Kathleen for a day.

"First off the girls will be fine trust me and second we aren't here to talk about the girls. This night is for you and for me okay?" He took her hand and began to rub circles on it.

"You are right but it does not stop me from worrying."

"Will it make you feel better if you speak to them?" Tony wanted Ziva to stop worrying about the girls.

She nodded. "Okay but after that will you promise me no more worrying and we can enjoy a nice night together?"

"I promise." She pulled her cellphone out of her purse and called the house. No answer. She started to panic but took a deep breath and called the number again.

After three rings Kathleen's voice came on the receiver "Hello?"

"Kathleen it is Ziva can I speak with the girls?"

"Yes one moment." She screamed out into the living room where the girls were all watching a movie. "Girls your mom is on the phone." Ziva could hear them running over to the phone.

"Mommy," Lila called into the phone. Francesca was right besides her listening in as well.

"Tateleh are you and Francesca doing okay?"

"Yea we watch movie with Abby an aunt Kathleen. Mommy will you be home to tuck us in?" Lila asked for Francesca.

"No tateleh but maybe aunt Kathleen can read you a bedtime story."

"Okay mommy, ani ohevet otakh."

"Ani ohevet otakh, tateleh. Can I speak with aunt Kathleen?" Lila handed the phone over to Kathleen. Ziva wanted to warn Kathleen about Francesca's nightmares.

"Hello?"

"Yes Kathleen I just wanted to warn you that Francesca tends to have nightmares and if she does please call me right away."

No worries. Enjoy your night."

"Thank you." Ziva hung up the phone looking a bit more satisfied.

"See I told you they were okay. Now can we enjoy our evening?" Asked Tony.

"Yes I am sorry Tony." She took his hand.

The server arrived and asked them if they were ready to order. Ziva ordered fettuccini Alfredo and Tony ordered spaghetti a la Bolognese.

Ziva looks around the restaurant taking in her surroundings. Analyzing every photograph, painting, and decorations they have. Staring at the customers wondering how many of them are as happy as she is. How many are lucky enough to marry the person they love. She then stops on a certain photograph that caught her attention. It was a picture of a couple with two children. The man sort of resembled Tony, the woman had the same curly black hair Ziva has, and the two girls resembled Lila and Francesca a bit. She stared amazed at the photograph. Everyone was smiling in that picture with not a care in the world. It was like for that instant they captured they were happy and they would continue to be happy because they were frozen in that moment. Ziva smiled that instant that that family shared in that photograph was they throughout this entire weekend. It was like they had been captured, stuck in a different reality were real life problems didn't exist.

Tony noticing Ziva stare intently at the photograph grabs her hand. This pulls her away from the photograph and she turns to look at him. He is smiling, a smile that could light up a thousand suns, looking straight into her eyes, her eyes that express hope and fear. Fear of the unknown of the adoption case and hope that everything will turn out okay. She blinks and looks down, blushing but all the while smiling. He places a finger under her chin and pulls her face up so that she is again looking him in the eyes. They stay like that for a moment just staring into each other's eyes. Having a whole conversation with there eyes not one word spoken. "Ziva DiNozzo I'm so glad you are my wife, we have an amazing daughter together, and I know soon we will have another beautiful girl added to our family for good. I loved you ever since you asked me the daring question are you having phone sex and I could instantly picture our lives together. I couldn't wait to hold your hand and be able to kiss you. All those time you caught me daydreaming. I was dreaming about our life together always hoping it would come true but knowing it wouldn't because someone like you would have never dated someone like me. But thankfully you took a chance on me and now look where we are today. You look amazing tonight and I love you more and more everyday."

Ziva blushed she had never heard him speak quite so romantically or opened himself up quite so much. She wouldn't admit it to him but she liked it when he spoke to her like that. "You are the love of my life."

"As you are the love of mine. I want to admit something to you about the first day we meet. You know the line I spoke well that was my way of flirting with you." She blushed

Tony laughed. "I knew it. I always knew you had a thing for me. I'm irresistible." He smirked. Ziva rolled her eyes in a joking manner.

The waiter came over with their food interrupting their moment. She left their food and left. Leaving them to enjoy their meal as they pleased. Ziva started eating her fettuccine savoring every bite. Tony took a fork full of his spaghetti and pushed it towards Ziva's mouth. "Try it it's amazing." She opened her mouth and he feed her the fork full of spaghetti. She licked her lips wiping away the excessive sauce left on them.

"It's amazing. Here try mine." Ziva did the same as Tony had down. He licked his lips as well. Both leaned across the table ignoring all the other people in the room and kissed.

A dinner and chocolate cake later Tony and Ziva walked down the pier. It was quiet, dark, and peaceful. They were holding hands taking in the cool salty air. Ziva's hair flying crazy each time a breeze came by. Like the gentleman he is Tony took off his suit jack and placed it on Ziva's shoulders.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"Anything for my lady." Thankfully it was dark and Tony couldn't see Ziva blushing.

They continued to walk down the pier, stopping at a coffee shop to get a cup of coffee, they found a nice quiet place to sit down. They sat there relaxing in each other's arms staring ahead at the horizon. Watching the waves come and go, come and go. People coming and going, families, young couples, and old couples.

Music was coming from a restaurant behind them. Both turned around to find an older couple dancing pretending they were the only two in the world. "That will be you and me one day." Tony got up, stood in front of Ziva, and held out his hand. "Care to dance?"

Ziva nodded. She took Tony's hand and stood. Tony wrapped his arms around Ziva's waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head at the crook of his neck. They started to slow dance not following any rhythm. Pretending they were the only two there at that precise moment. Tony kissed Ziva on the top of her head and whispered in her ear, "I love you so much."

Ziva looked up and stared into his eyes. They sparkled and expressed pure sincerity. "I love you too." Once again they took their spot and continued to slow dance forgetting about the world and all its problems.

They continued to walk down the pier stopping at a railing looking onto the horizon, the calmness of the ocean. Tony wrapped an arm around Ziva's waist as she leaned into him. Feeling his warmth and smelling his cologne. Tony kissed the top of her head. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Tony told her. Ziva responded with an mhm.

"Thank you Tony tonight was absolutely perfect." She leaned her head up to kiss on the lips.

"Anything for you sweet cheeks." He returned her kiss.

Ziva looked at her watch and noticed that it was very late. "We should be heading back." Tony nodded and led her towards the car keeping his hand on the small of her back.

Tony and Ziva walked through the door quietly trying to make the least amount of noise as possible. Ziva had taken off her high heels so it wouldn't echo through the house. When they walked in all the lights downstairs were on and noises were coming from the living room. They walked over there assuming Kathleen was still up.

But what they found was Abby, Francesca and Lila asleep on the sofa. Kathleen was on the other far end watching some black and white film.

"We're home." Tony called out to her grabbing her attention from the film.

"Hey," she whispered. Tucking a lose hair behind her ear and getting up from the couch. "How was your date?"

Ziva smiled, it had been wonderful. "Perfect thanks Kath for watching them. I hope they weren't too much trouble?" Tony asked. He knew that Lila and Francesca together could be troublemakers but overall they were great girls.

"No they were angels except they didn't want to go to bed until you got home. So I let them stay on the couch and they fell asleep watching a movie. I didn't want to risk them waking up so I left them on the couch."

Tony smiled gratefully. Ziva and Tony went to the couch to get the girls and take them to bed. Ziva took Francesca and Tony Lila. "Good night." They both told Kathleen as they headed up the stairs.

"Night," Kathleen called out as she too went to get Abby and take her upstairs.

They walked into the girls room and placed them on the bed but Francesca must have been dreaming of something because when Ziva tried to put her on the bed she cried out "no mommy no leave me." Rather than risk a nightmare and a sleepless night Ziva suggested, "Why don't they just sleep with us tonight?"

Tony nodded and they headed to their room. Tony placed Lila in the middle as did Ziva but her attempt was useless. Francesca just clung on tighter and cried "no mommy no." But never once waking up. So Ziva just held her as Tony changed.

Once he was finished she handed her over to Tony as she changed. Once she was done he handed her back to Ziva. They went to bed. Ziva settling with Francesca cuddled up next to her. Tony leaned over Lila and kissed his wife good night. "Love you Zi"

"Love you Tony. Thank you for this wonderful date." She whispered into the darkness with a huge grin on her face.

The following morning started very early. They had last minute present shopping they needed to do, buying souvenirs for the entire team, especially Abby. She would never let them live it down if they didn't bring her anything. They headed towards Hollywood were they knew they'd have lots of souvenir shops. They stopped at the first store and found a mug, which they got, printed I heart bourbon and boats for Gibbs. They had also found a shirt and keychain for Palmer.

A couple of stores down they found a black bow tie for Ducky that said I heart LA in red letters. At another store they had found two typical Hollywood picture frames for Abby and a tote bag for Jenny. All that was left was McGee he was always the hardest to shop for.

Meanwhile they walked through almost all the stores searching for a present for McGee. In some they had gotten a couple of things for themselves. The girls got an LA sweater, Francesca of course purple and Lila blue. Also some really cute polka dotted bows for their hair.

They continued shopping until they ran into a sandwich shop where they stopped for lunch. After ordering they went to find a table. They all sat down with a groan clearly tired from all the walking. "What are we going to get McGeek?" Asked Tony.

"I do not know maybe instead of something for McGee we can get something for their baby boy oh and we need to get something for Kristen."

"Right the boss man would head slap me if we were to forget something for her." Tony rubbed the back of his head subconsciously.

Tony turned to look at the girls. "What would you like to get for you cousin Kristen?"

"A sweata like ous." Lila told her dad.

"Okay that's settled and so what a blue onesie or something?" Tony asked Ziva.

"Yes. But one that has something of LA or something so that is does not seem like any onesie. Maybe a pen for McGee yes?"

Tony agreed. They finished up their lunch and went in search of those three things so that they could head back and finish packing the gifts and head back over to the airport.

They had been successful in their shopping. They had found the cutest onesie for baby McGee. It was green and said FBI LA, Federal body inspector LA. They thought McGee would get a kick out of it since their biggest enemy was the FBI. They had also found a pink sweater like the girls for Kristen and an LA pen for McGee.

On the way back to the car they stopped at a chocolate store. Getting their last desert in LA. The girls went crazy at the sight of the different chocolates there and were not able to choose just one. So they get a mixture. Tony bought Ziva and himself some chocolate covered strawberries as a romantic notion.

The girls sat happily eating their chocolate assortments. While Tony feed Ziva strawberries as she did the same.

"One more stop before we head home?" Tony asked they still had some time before they needed to head back.

"No but we should get someone to take our picture before we go." And so they headed back to where Tony and Ziva had walked around after the restaurant to take their picture. It was a very beautiful day and everything was perfect.

After taking several pictures they headed back to the house to pack up their things and head to the airport.

Luckily this time their flight was on time and they were able to leave without a problem. They boarded their seats, settled in, and quickly fell asleep. The last few days they had been on the go and were exhausted. They all slept through the entire flight.

They arrived home late that night. Due to the time difference they had lost two hours. Tony went straight to the answering machines to check any important messages. Most had been solicitors but there was one that Tony and Ziva had not been expecting, their lawyer.

"Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo I am calling to inform you that your court date has been moved up to two days from now. Have a nice evening." This message was left yesterday.

Tony and Ziva stared at each other. You could see the happiness and panic that that message had arose in them. The next two days would be hell.

**[A/N I hope you enjoy now remember 15 reviews will get an update Friday night or Saturday morning. It is all up to you.]**


	6. The Trial

**[A/N So we didn't reach the goal that is why I didn't update but I felt it wasn't fair to those who did so instead of wait a week for an update I'm updating now. Thanks for those who reviewed, follow or favorite you keep the story alive. So, please keeping reviewing. Also, let know if there's any random cute thing you want, certain interactions between characters, or certain scenario. I'll see where we can fit it in.]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS**

The following morning after the trip the DiNozzo family stayed at home no matter how much they wished they weren't. Gibbs had given them orders to take the day off. He surely didn't want distracted and tired agents. But that was exactly what the both needed a distraction from the adoption hearing the following day.

So, Tony suggested they all watch movies. They had been sitting watching movies all morning in hopes of a distraction from the court hearing tomorrow. Both tried hard to concentrate on the movie but they kept thinking about the adoption; running to the worst-case scenarios. They knew it wasn't good for them but they couldn't help it.

Tony couldn't take it anymore so he turned off the movie and stood. "How about we go give the team their presents?" He desperately wanted out of the house and knew Ziva would too.

"Good idea." Ziva was relieved to be leaving the house.

They piled into the car and headed for NCIS headquarters. The car ride there was silent which was good for any of them. So, Tony started chatting about the most random things to keep them distracted. On arrival they headed straight for the squad room. Luckily for them they Abby, Palmer and Ducky were there. It saved them a trip down to autopsy and the lab.

Everyone heard the elevator ding but ignored who it was. When Abby heard the voices of two little girls she turned her head and saw it was her favorite family. She ran over to them "Tony! Ziva!" She enveloped them in a hug. "I missed you guys."

"We missed you too Abby but we cannot breath." Ziva told her.

Abby chuckled and released them. "Sorry guys. So what are you doing here? I thought Gibbs gave you the day off."

"He did. But we came by to drop off your gifts." Tony went to his desk and Ziva to hers with the girls.

He placed the two bags full of gifts on the desk and pulled out the first one. "Here Abby since we know you love pictures we got you two typical tourist frames. One has a picture of the four of us and one is blank so you can use any picture you please."

"Awe thanks guys I love it." She squeezed her two picture frames. "You guys look adorable in this picture. One big happy family." Tony and Ziva couldn't help but smile at that.

"Next up Palmer." He handed him his touristy hat and t-shirt.

"Thanks Tony," Palmer told them taking them from Tony's hands. He knew he was part of Gibbs team but he never expected to be treated as such by the agents. This thought made him smile.

"Ducky we got you a bow tie we know how much you love them. So we hope you like this one."

Ducky took the bow tie from Tony and inspected it. He chuckled as he saw what was written on it. "It is very nice. Thank you my boy." He turned to Ziva's desk, thanked her and the girls.

"Probie!" Tony screamed. McGee got up from his desk and walked over to Tony's. "You are very hard to shop for McGoo. Like very very hard we went to almost every store in LA and couldn't find anything. So, we got you a pen." Tony smirked.

McGee made a face. "Gee thanks guys." He was about to walk away when Tony stopped him.

"But we got baby McGee a little something." He pulled the green onesie out of the bag slowly. "His very own FBI onesie."

McGee smiled. He couldn't believe he'd be a dad soon. "Aw thanks Ziva." McGee went over to Ziva's desk and gave her a hug. He ruffled the girl's hair and thanked them as well.

"Hey, what about me?" Tony whined. "I helped pick it out."

"Thank you, Tony." McGee said jokingly.

Gibbs sat at his desk just observing his team. They were the happiest when together. "Boss," Tony called to him.

Gibbs gave Tony an, I'm not getting up look. So, Tony grabbed all three gifts and headed towards his boss's desk. "We got you this specialized mug." He let a smile escape at the sight of the mug. It was the perfect gift. "This sweater is for Kristen and this tote bag for Jenny." It was nice of them to think about his wife and daughter he thought.

"You did good DiNozzo." He gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks boss." Tony smiled. He knew his boss really appreciated everything even though he didn't express it.

Gibbs walked over to Ziva and gave her a hug. "Thanks Ziver." He then walked over to the girls to thank them as well. He ruffled their hair and gave them a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks munchkins."

"You welcome grandpa Gibbs." Francesca told Gibbs smiling up at him.

"Cesca and I pick Sten's sweata." Lila added very excitedly.

"She'll love it." Gibbs smiled.

Ziva walked over to Abby while the girls were distracted with talking to Gibbs. "Hey Abby."

"Oh my god Ziva thanks for my present I really love it." She hugged her while Ziva just stood there as she hugged her.

Once she finally let go, Abby asked her what she had come over for. "Abby would you mind watching the girls in your lap or somewhere that is not here while Tony and I talk to Gibbs?

"Sure Ziva. Everything okay?" Abby was worried she knew that their talks with Gibbs were mostly never any good.

"Yes, Tony and I will come talk to you afterwards."

"No problem." Abby placed a hand on Ziva's shoulder for support. "Lila, Francesca, want to come with aunt Abby on a caf pow run?"

"Yea!" Both girls screamed.

"Can we get one too Ziva?" Francesca asked. Her aunt Abby had once given her a sip and she had loved it.

Ziva was about to protest when Abby interrupted her. "I promise it'll be decaf and in those small cups." She made hand gestures as she talked.

She sighed, "okay but if they are running wild aunt Abby will watch over them."

"Promise." The girls said bye to their mom and headed off towards the elevator with Abby.

Ducky and Palmer took that as their cue to head back down to autopsy. McGee went to the break room to get himself a snack he had skipped breakfast and was starving.

After McGee left both Tony and Ziva stood at Gibbs desk, quietly. Not a single word was spoken for several minutes. Gibbs got frustrated and spoke up. "What's wrong DiNozzo?" Gibbs spoke urging them to start.

"Well boss yesterday when we got back we got a message from our lawyer telling us that our court date has been moved up to tomorrow and we we were uh wondering if you would uh."

Knowing Gibbs hated when people didn't get straight to the point Ziva cut in. "If you would be there tomorrow to provide some moral support?"

For a while Gibbs didn't say anything he just sat there contemplating. Tony stood there a nervous wreck as was Ziva but she did a better job of hiding it. "Of course I will and if you need me to say anything I will. I will not let them take away my pseudo granddaughter from me."

"Thanks boss that really means a lot to us." Tony breathed a sigh of relief, as did Ziva.

"Yeah thanks Gibbs." Now if only we could be so sure with tomorrow's hearing."

"Ziver both of you are wonderful parents. I know the judge will see that. You have nothing to worry about."

"I hope you are right." Ziva whispered. But they all were thinking the same thing. They were very hopeful but also very worried. Worried that the judge wouldn't grant them custody and tomorrow would be the last day they ever saw Francesca.

Abby and the girls had gone to the nearest stripes to get a CAF-POW. The girls had argued with Abby that they wanted the big girls cup. "No girls your mom will kill me."

"But aunt Abby." Lila whined.

"No, have you met your mom? She will kill me." Abby emphasized on the will. The girls just laughed at Abby's remark but agreed to get the little one.

While they waited in line to pay, Audrey, the social worker, approached Francesca. "Hi Francesca."

"Hi Ms. Audrey." She replied shyly. This woman made her feel horrible.

"Where were you this weekend I called Tony and Ziva's house a million times? You were supposed to meet with Penelope and John last weekend."

Abby stepped in stopping Francesca from answering her. "I don't think it's any of your business where they were."

"It is my business when I am her social worker. Who might I ask you are?" The social worker asked rudely.

"I'm Abby Sciuto NCIS forensic specialist and they're aunt." Abby answered back the same way the social worker had.

"Well Ms. Sciuto seeing as you know the DiNozzo's very well I would like you to inform them that tomorrow two families have a court hearing and it won't be too long before I take Francesca to her new mommy and daddy." She told her happily.

They were next in line. "I will, now goodbye." And she walked up to the cash register to pay for their CAF-POWs

When they got back to the navy yard Abby took the girls straight to Ducky. She found McGee and Palmer hiding out there as well. They knew better than to listen in on a conversation between Gibbs, Tony and Ziva. She had to talk to Ziva about what the social worker had told them. "Hey Ducky can you watch them for me please?"

"Of course Abigail but not here this is no place for a child." Ducky wouldn't let them in past the automatic doors. Although there wasn't any bodies lying on the table Ducky still didn't feel comfortable with the girls down here.

"You can use my lab." Abby told Ducky as she called for the elevator.

"Abby I want Ziva." Francesca told her sadly. She had been very quiet ever since they had ran into the social worker. Everything Audrey had said about not seeing Tony and Ziva ever again had made her quite upset.

"Let me go talk to her first and then I will take you up to her okay?" Abby felt for her. Everything she was going through couldn't have been easy for a child.

"Okay." And she followed Ducky out of autopsy to Abby's lab.

Abby headed up the squad room. She found Gibbs, Tony and Ziva talking all with glum faces. "Would anyone care to tell me what happened?"

"Abby calm down everything is okay." Tony had never seen Abby so furious and she had been furious with him plenty of times.

"Everything is not okay Tony. I ran into the social worker, Audrey whatever, and she told me to tell you that two families had court hearings tomorrow. That soon she will be happy to take Francesca from you. How does that mean that everything is okay? I don't want Francesca to go."

"Neither do we Abby that is why we are one of those families." Ziva told her hoping this bit of information would calm her down. They had not told anyone but Gibbs about their decision to adopt.

"Are you serious? You're adopting Francesca? That's amazing." She jumped toward the both and embraced into a hug. "Sorry I screamed at you."

"Abby!" Tony yelled to get Abby's attention. She was hugging them just a little bit too tight and they couldn't breath.

"Oops sorry." She let go. "I'm just so excited."

"Do not get too excited Abby we do not know if the judge will pick us. There is still another family." Ziva told her as she too was trying not to get her hopes up. But it was too late for that. They had already grown too attached to the girl.

"I have a feeling they will. Francesca will soon be officially yours." Abby always liked to stay optimistic.

Remembering Francesca had been upset and had asked for Ziva she tore her mind from being excited. "Francesca wants to talk to you. She's upset about what Audrey said." Tony gave a Abby a where are they look. "They're in the lab with Ducky." She pouted towards the elevators.

"Thank you Abby I will go speak with her." Tony and Ziva headed down to the lab.

They found Ducky telling Lila a story about his younger days in Scotland. Francesca was siting in another chair hugging Burt the hippo and crying not even bothering to listen in. "Ducky when can I go see Tony and Ziva?"

In that moment Tony and Ziva walked in "right now." Ziva spoke and Francesca turned around.

She hopped off the stool and ran towards Ziva crying. "Ziva!"

Ziva picked her up and walked over to the couch with Tony following behind her. "Sssh tateleh, it's okay."

"Ducky could you give us a sec?" Tony sat on the couch and put an arm around Ziva.

"Of course Anthony." Ducky grabbed Lila's hand. "Come on Lila lets continue this upstairs with your grandpa Gibbs."

"Cesca sweetie, do want to tell us what happened?" Tony asked her.

She nodded against Ziva's chest as Ziva rubbed her back encouraging her to tell them. "Ms. Audrey say that soon I will have a new mommy and daddy and I no see you again." She cried a bit more and placed her head back into Ziva's chest hiding her face.

Tony pulled her chin up. "Hey remember what we talked about at the airport?" She nodded. "That we were adopting you." Again she nodded.

"But what if I have to go with the Duprees? I no want them to be my mommy and daddy. I want you and Ziva to be. I no want to leave."

"We want to be your mom and dad too. Very much so actually. But unfortunately it's not up to us. It's up to a judge and that's what where we are going tomorrow to convince him that we are the best choice for you. We promise to fight our hardest so that you can stay with us." Tony told her.

"We do not want to lose you tateleh." Ziva hugged her.

"I no want to lose another mommy and daddy." She snuggled into Ziva's arms.

They both just hugged her. They didn't know how to respond to that comment. They couldn't make a promise they wouldn't be able to keep. So they just snuggled her instead and stayed liked that until Abby came down to make sure they were okay.

Francesca was snuggled in Ziva's arms, who was snuggled in Tony's. They were all sound asleep. Abby grabbed her camera, shot a couple of picture, and reluctantly went over to wake them. "Hey sorry guys but Gibbs told me to come get you."

"Abbs?" Tony asked. Confused as to where he was and how he'd gotten there.

"Yeah, you guys must have fallen asleep." Abby smiled they had looked so adorable.

"How long have we been down here?"

"Almost two hours. We were starting to get worried so Gibbs sent me down here. He wants to see all of you upstairs."

"Thanks Abbs." Abby headed back to the elevator to give them some privacy. Tony wiggled out of Ziva's embrace to take Francesca and wake her up. "Zi, honey, we have to wake up."

"Hmmm?" She started to stir. "What happened?"

"We've been asleep for nearly two hour. That's what happened." Tony laughed.

"What?" Ziva was utterly surprised. How could they have fallen asleep.

"Come on the boss wants to see us upstairs." Tony helped her up the couch and they got into the elevator that would take them to the bullpen.

They had gone upstairs and while the three of them slept the rest of the team had decided to go to Chuck E. Cheese. Kind of a farewell in case things didn't go their way tomorrow.

So now Gibbs, Kristen, Jenny, Palmer, Ducky, Abby, McGee, his wife, Tony, Ziva and the girls were all at Chuck E. Cheese. They had sat them at a party table since they were so many people. They looked quite funny. Nine adults and three kids at a children's place. Totally not what people expected.

The girls had took of running as soon as they had distributed the tokens. That left Ziva, Abby, Alexandra and Jenny at the table while the men went to order the food.

"Jethro tells me that you have your court hearing tomorrow?" Jenny asked not really knowing all the details since she has been stuck in her office all day.

"Yes." Ziva didn't like to really talk about her feelings.

"How are you doing?" Jenny asked ignoring Ziva's lack of response. She knew Ziva just needed a little pushing.

"I am a bit nervous we do not know if the judge will pick us. We may never see Francesca after tomorrow." You could hear the sadness in her voice.

"What will happen if you don't get granted custody?" Alexandra asked.

"We will be devastated of course. But we will have to move on with our lives. We hope maybe the family that adopts her will allow us to visit her." Ziva said again sadly.

"But that won't happen we can't think like that. Francesca belongs with Tony and Ziva and that is where she will stay." Abby cried out.

"No Abby she is right. We have to be prepared mentally if that were to happen."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean for you to get upset." Alexandra apologized. She hasn't meant for her question to upset anyone. But it had.

"It is okay. I am fine. I have been asking myself the same question all day. It is something Tony and I need to be prepared for. Real life is not like his movies where the characters always has a happy ending. Life is screwed up especially mine. So there is a chance we may not get chosen."

"Don't lose hope Ziva. If you think it'll help I will be there tomorrow both as a friend and director. Maybe if the judge sees you have the support of your boss and your boss's boss. The judge will see that your job will not be a problem."

"Thank you Jenny I would appreciate that." She smiled at her the best she could.

The table stayed quiet after that. The women watched the kids play on the games. They were so happy and innocent. They didn't know about the hard cruel world. They lived in their own fantasy. Where every single problem could be fixed with a kiss. But life wasn't like that. A kiss couldn't make everything better or make the evil things go away. No, real life was a bitch.

The men got up to go order the pizzas. There were a lot of people here for a Thursday afternoon. The line was taking forever and Tony couldn't keep his mind from thinking about the what ifs. What if they didn't get to adopt her? What if they never saw her again? It was too much for him. "Boss what if the judge decides we aren't fit to be Francesca's parents? I don't think I could stand that."

"DiNozzo do you need a head slap to help you think clearly?"

"No boss." Tony was still frowning though. This issue was clearly bothering him more than Gibbs had realized.

"DiNozzo there are no two better people to be Francesca's parents than you too." Gibbs tried to reassure him.

Catching on to the mood McGee spoke too. "Tony that little girl has been with you since the beginning. You have been taking care of her for a few moths now and look at her. She hasn't been happier. She loves you guys. I'm pretty sure the judge will see all that and know that you are the best choice for her." McGee didn't know how tomorrow would go but of everything he had told Tony he was sure.

"Thanks Tim," Tony smiled at him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We will make the judge see reason." Palmer added in.

"There will be no taking that sweet girl from you Anthony." Ducky told him.

"Don't you see DiNozzo no matter what happens tomorrow you have a family that cares for you and will be there for you always."

Tony felt tears in his eyes but he wouldn't shed them. "Thanks guys that means a lot to Ziva and me."

"Next," the lady at the cash register said. The men approached the front so they could order. "What are a couple of handsome men like yourself doing here?" The teenage girl looked at the four men, ignoring Ducky and directed the question at Tony.

Gibbs stepped in. "We would like to get back to our families so if we could order that would be nice."

"Yes of course. What could I get for you?"

"Nine drinks, two pepperoni pizzas and one cheese." Gibbs ordered.

The girls eyes widened at the order. Normally these types of orders were for the birthday parties. "Will that be all?

"Yes thank you." Tony butted in knowing Gibbs wouldn't have.

They headed back to the table with the drinks. They found all four women sitting there quietly staring at the kids. "Did ya miss us that much?" Tony asked jokingly trying to lighten up the mood.

"Do not flatter yourself Tony." Ziva replied getting into their usual banter.

Everyone took his or her seats. "I don't. You do." Tony grinned and everyone busted out laughing.

Francesca came over to the table. "Ziva I thirsty."

Ziva looked at the cups but they were empty. She grabbed one and got up from the table. "Come on." They walked over to the soda fountain.

"Have you told Francesca what is going on?" Alexandra asked.

"Yes yesterday because she was upset about what the social worker told her. So we had no choice but to explain to her everything that would happen tomorrow. Then according to Abby we fell asleep for two hours." Tony laughed at the last part.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the kids playing at the machines winning lots of tickets. The adults spent talking about anything that wasn't work or adoption. Keeping the conversation light. They had a blast and devoured all three pizzas.

Later that night they put the girls to bed and then attempted to get to bed themselves. But it was useless. Their mind was too busy thinking about tomorrow. The what ifs, the maybes, and the hope that both didn't feel.

They both just laid there in the dark. They had talked to others but not really with each other about tomorrow. "Tony, are you scared?"

"DiNozzos don't get scared." Tony tried to cover up his true feelings with humor.

"Tony I am being serious here." Ziva for once was allowing her emotions to show and Tony only wanted to joke.

"Yes Ziva I'm more scared than I have ever been in my entire life. I can't bare the thought of losing her. I won't accept it I just won't." Tony shed all the tears he had not allowed himself to shed today.

Ziva scooted over snuggling up to Tony. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I am scared as well."

"I promise you Ziva no matter what, we will be okay." He kissed the top of her head. "Now get some sleep we have a big day tomorrow."

Tony watched over her until she fell asleep. Then he allowed sleep to succumb him.

The next morning they got ready, had breakfast and went to go drop off Lila with Abby. Then headed to the courthouse where they found Gibbs and Jenny.

"Thank you both for coming." Ziva thanked them.

"Don't mention it Ziver."

The lawyer came over to them with the social worker. "We need to discuss a few things before we go into the court room."

The social worker was there as well. "I need to take Francesca with me. She is not allowed to be with either family until a decision is reached by the judge." The social worker, Samantha Rubio, reached for the girl.

"No I stay with Ziva and Tony." She pouted but stayed firm.

"Everything will be okay tateleh. But for it to be okay you go with this nice lady yes?" Ziva tried to get her to go with the social worker.

"Okay." She went with her and they left to a room.

"Excuse us." Tony told Jenny and Gibbs. They headed to an open conference room with the lawyer.

Once inside the conference room they took a seat. "There are a few things we need to discuss. First off I would like to put Francesca to the stand. I believe she will be a big part in helping us win the case. Would you be okay with that?

"Well what kind of questions would they ask her?" Tony asked he wanted to know that she wouldn't be traumatized before saying yes.

"Typical questions. Where would she prefer to live? Has she been obligated or threatened to choose a certain family? Questions of that matter, all standard. The judges typically like to take into consideration the kids opinion."

Ziva squeezed Tony's hand. "If you believe it'll help then yes. We will allow it."

"Now the second matter I would like to discuss is if your bosses would like to testify. Because the main concern here is yours jobs. That is the only thing the judges will not see fit."

"Yes the couple outside that was our bosses they said they would testify and tell them that we have their full support." Tony added in.

"Okay well I think that covers it. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Will Francesca be taken away from us today?" Ziva asked.

"Only if they reach a decision and you aren't the ones picked. But I seriously doubt a decision will be made today."

"Court room two will begin in five minutes." A voice came on a speaker.

They made their way over to the courtroom to take their respective spots. "Francesca Castellano, Washington DC, Virginia. Adoption case 2311." The judge looked at the lawyers. "Lawyers would you like to present your opening statements?"

The lawyers rose, Mr. Walken, the DiNozzo's lawyer spoke first. "Your honor we are here because the DiNozzo family would like to be granted full custody of one Francesca Castellano. After one colonel Castellano was murdered Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo and special agent Ziva DiNozzo were ordered by their boss Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs to pick up the girl from daycare and bring her back to NCIS headquarters for her safety in case she was being targeted. After no one would respond to child services calls the special agents were put on protection detail to protect the young girl in case she were in danger. They decided to take full responsibility of the girl until a suitable family was found to adopt her. So you see your honor we are here because Mr. And Mrs. DiNozzo feel like they would be best suited to become Francesca Castellano's adoptive parents." Mr. Walken walked up towards the stand and handed him their file.

Now the Dupree's lawyer, Ms. Ravenno, stood. "Hello your honor I am here today to get adoption rights given to the Dupree Family. They have met with Francesca Castellano on many occasions. Up until last week they were meeting at least twice a week. They would like to proceed in adopting her for full custody." Ms. Ravenno did the same as Mr. Walken and went to hand the judge their file.

"Thank you both. Now if you would please stay standing I would like to ask the both of you some questions. Mr. Walken were home visits made to the DiNozzo home by a social worker?"

"Yes your honor. Frequent visits were made by Ms. Samantha Rubio." She found everything in order and the declared that the child's needs were meet."

Now lawyers do you both deem your clients acceptable to become the parents of one Francesca Castellano."

Both lawyers nodded. "Then why are we here battling custody of Francesca Castellano?"

Audrey Dawson, the social worker, rose. "Your honor I was not informed that the DiNozzo family had petitioned to adopt Francesca. I believe that the Dupree are the better candidate to consider."

"Why do you believe that Ms. Dawson?" The judge questioned.

"I believe that the judge of the special agents would provide an unstable environment for the child. They work unpredictable hours and they always have the issue that everyday they are on the field they risk their lives. There could be a day they may never come back and I feel that is not a suitable environment for a child as Francesca Castellano."

Ziva and Tony rolled their eyes at her stupid excuse. Their lawyer rose. "Your honor I would like to remind you that the child has been in the care of Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo for several months now and she has been well attended to. Their team has been a great asset in helping the DiNozzo family adjust. I would like to call Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs to the stand."

Gibbs got up from his spot and headed to the stand. They brought him a bible and made him swear to tell nothing but the truth. "You may sit." The judge ordered him.

Mr. Walken approached him. "Mr. Gibbs you have been there every step of the way have you not?"

"That is correct." He answered honestly.

"So could you tell me how has Francesca reacted to all these change? How has she adapted?" Their lawyer wanted to prove that Francesca was well attended and well adapted in the DiNozzo household.

"Well when Tony and Ziva first brought her from the daycare she reacted like any child would act, devastated. From the very beginning she took to Ziva and slowly began to take to Tony as well. It took a while but she is a very happy girl. She loves Tony and Ziva. She could not be in better hands."

"Agent Gibbs if agents DiNozzo were to gain full custody of Francesca would you be able to work with them on a schedule?"

"Of course there will be days where they can leave early but their will be others when I will need them to stay late but rest assured. There is a whole team that are ready to step up if needed." Gibbs was a very reserved man but if need be he would protect his agents.

"Thank you Agent Gibbs that is all."

Ms. Ravenno rose and approached the bench. "Agent Gibbs so you would agree that agents DiNozzo will be well suited to parent a child."

"That is correct."

"Would you agree that what you do is dangerous and you risk leaving a child parent less?"

"Yes I agree what we do is riskier than a regular job. But like anything in life you could walk out of your door and not know if you will ever come back. I feel like having kids makes my agents work harder to be safe and catch the guy to make the world safer for them. So yes our jobs may be riskier but I don't think that my agents should be penalized because they risk their lives to do justice." He was pissed off and he didn't like people judging them because of their job.

"No further questions." The lawyer had been kicked in the face. She didn't know what else to ask.

Gibbs left the stand and went back to sit with Jenny. "I would like to call NCIS Director Jennifer Gibbs."

Jenny rose from her seat and went over to the stand. They made her swear as they had done to Gibbs. "Director Gibbs how do you play a part in all of this?"

"Well I am director and very good friends with my agents. So of course I would be there to help and be flexible with their work schedule. Work affecting their family will not be an issue."

"Director do you have any children?"

"Yes sir that is why I understand the importance of finding a balance between work and family."

"Thank you no further questions."

"Ms. Ravenno any questions?" The judge asked.

"No your honor."

"Then I will like to call up Francesca Castellano." The judge pressed a button and the social worker came out of a back door with Francesca.

The social worker took her up to the stand. Mr. Walken walked up to ask her questions. "Francesca, how are you today?"

"I fine."

Mr. Walken started asking simple questions so that he could gain her trust. "Do you like living with Tony and Ziva?"

"Yes, I want them to be my mommy and daddy."

"Do they treat you alright?"

"Yes they are the best. They treat me just like another daughter. They super nice. I love them and they love me."

"No further questions." Mr. Walken went to go sit back down. He knew the judge would lean towards them with Francesca's statements.

Ms. Ravenno got up and approached the bench. "Ms. Castellano were you in any way told to choose a certain family?"

"No but Ms. Audrey say many times that I no stay with Tony and Ziva. That I have to go with the Dupree. I no want to go."

"Did anyone try to tell you that you could not go with a family because of any reason?"

Francesca nodded. The judge approached. "You have to speak so the judge can hear you."

"Yes." She said timidly.

"What was the reason?"

"Ms. Audrey say I can not stay with Tony and Ziva because they work at NISC.

"No further questions." Francesca was sent back with the social worker.

"I want Ziva!" Francesca called out. She was getting hysterical.

The judge banged the gravel and called a fifteen-minute recess.

Ziva and Tony weren't allowed to visit Francesca during the recess. They discussed with their lawyer. He said everything looked like it would go in their favor. The other lawyer was asking questions that were helping their case.

The judge called them back in. He announced that he would take one family in at a time to question them.

He called them back into his chambers. "Please sit." He signaled for them to sit down. "I have a few questions to ask you."

Ziva and Tony nodded. "Have you adopted before?"

"No we have not." Replied Tony.

"Do you have kids of your own?"

"Yes, a three year old." Ziva replied.

"And how do they get along?" This was a very important question for him.

"They get along great. Like any child they have their disagreements. But overall they get along great. They call each other sister." Tony spoke up.

Inside both were very nervous; the lawyer had told them things were looking good for them. The outcome was great for them.

"That's always an important factor." He took a deep breath. "Have you thought about having another children?"

Tony and Ziva had never really thought about it before. They looked at each and Ziva spoke. "Most likely. Not anytime soon."

"Will you continue to treat Francesca as your own when and if you have more kids of your own?"

"No of course not. We already think of her as our child and she will always be a part of the family no matter what happens." The judge smiled.

"That's what I like to hear. Look I like to get to the point and not beat around the bush. I like you very much. I think you are very good candidates and it helps your case that you have had Francesca since the very beginning. The only thing I have concerns about is your occupation. The emotional repercussions it might have on the child." Tony and Ziva let out a breath of relief the judge looked like a scary guy. But he wasn't all that bad. Yeah he is the guy that could take Francesca away from them but in the end he was doing what was best for her.

"No, we understand the risks it comes with being special agents but trust us when we say the girls are the reason we work harder to stay safer and capture the bad guys. We want them to be safe."

"Well, I've think I've heard enough." The judge stood up and shook their hand. He walked him out his chambers and called in the Dupree couple.

He asked them the same questions as he had done Tony and Ziva. They took about an hour but finally the judge came out. He stood on his stand and spoke. "I have talked to both families and have seen both sides. Now I need to take some time to make a decision. Meanwhile one Francesca Castellano will stay in the care of Mr. And Mrs. DiNozzo. Court is adjourned. The judge hit his gravel and the courtroom became noisy.

"What do this mean?" Ziva asked their lawyer.

"It means that the judge will take up to two weeks to reach his decision and then will call the respective lawyer to inform you. But I have high hopes that you will be the ones."

"Can we see Francesca now?" They were anxious to see her.

"Of course" He led them to the room where Francesca was.

As so as she saw Tony and Ziva she jumped out of her chair and ran over to them. "Mommy! Daddy!" She screamed running into them and embracing them into a hug. "I stay with you forever?" She looked up to them with such excitement in her eyes that Tony and Ziva couldn't tell her that they weren't sure yet.

"We don't know yet sweetie but you will stay with us until it is decided who you will be staying with permanently."

"Okay." She nodded sadly.

"Let's go find grandpa Gibbs and grandma Jenny." Tony grabbed his wife and child, no matter what anyone said that was their child, and went to find Gibbs and Jen.

"You were a lot of help thank you guys." Tony thanked Jen and Gibbs.

"We hope we helped. I have a feeling that they will be calling you soon to give you the good news." Jenny was filled with enthusiasm.

We hope you are right." Ziva hugged Francesca tighter.

Tony whispered into Ziva's ear. "Let's go get Lila and head home. Ziva nodded. "Thanks again we will see you tomorrow." Tony said his goodbyes and lead Ziva out of the courthouse.

Four days later Tony, Ziva, and the girls were setting up everything for a BBQ. The team was coming over to spend some time outside the office and get their minds off the dreaded phone call.

Ziva was in the kitchen preparing everything, Tony was outside setting up the pool and BBQ, and the girls were upstairs playing while they waited for everyone to arrive.

They had been coping well the phone call never far from their mind. They tried their hardest to just forget about it but they also mentally prepared themselves for when their lawyer called to tell them they hadn't been granted custody.

While chopping onions and other things needed for hot dogs and hamburgers Ziva blasted some music in Hebrew. She hadn't heard the phone ring the first time nor the second and tony was outside so he hadn't heard it either. The third time Francesca came into the kitchen. "Ziva the phone has been ringing."

"Thank you tateleh." Ziva wiped her hands with the kitchen rag and went to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. DiNozzo this is Mr. Walken," he sounded a bit in a hurry.

"Why yes hello Mr. Walken. How may I help you?" Ziva wasn't expecting a phone call so soon. That couldn't be a good sign could it she thought.

Mr. Walken told Ziva everything that the judge had relied on to him.

"No, thank you I understand." She nodded her head although he could not see her. After hanging up Ziva didn't no how to feel. She felt like breaking down and crying but knew that wouldn't help so instead she screamed out, "Tony!" She needed to tell him. Maybe together they could work it out.

"Tony!" She called again. By the fifth time he came into the house.

"Ziva what's wrong?" Tony was in a panic.

"Nothing the lawyer called." She was still shocked and numb.

"And?" Tony was very impatient to find out the news.

"We..."

**Sorry for leaving a cliffhanger but please review and let me know if you want to see some random cute scene or interaction between characters. **


	7. BBQ

**[A/N Thanks for all the reviews you guys are the best. Sorry again for the cliffhanger but I thought it was best to leave it there. Regardless here is the next chapter. I got three suggestion see Audrey get bitched at but I did one better you'll find out soon enough, to have a Gibbs/Francesca moment that will be included in the next and a play date I will work that one out soon enough. Again if you have any preferences for what you'd like to see please review it. Don't forget to review]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS**

Tony had invited over the entire team so that they could spend some time together somewhere other than NCIS headquarters for a change. He also hoped that they could keep him distracted from the phone call that hadn't come and haunted them. Ziva was in the kitchen slaving away trying to get everything ready for later today. She blasted her music, danced and sung as she prepared the food.

Occasionally she would look out the glass doors and catch sight of Tony hard at work. She stared endlessly until Tony had caught sight of her. She blushed but continued to stare regardless. They both stared into each other's eyes and smiled. Tony blew her a kiss and mouthed I love you. Then he turned back around to continue setting up outside. Ziva went back to chopping onions and tomatoes for the hotdogs completely flushed.

With her music blaring and completely zoned out dancing and singing Ziva hadn't heard the phone ring the first time or the second. Tony was outside so he hadn't heard it either and the girls were told never to answer the phone. By the fifth consecutive call Francesca assumed it must have been an important call and came into the kitchen since she wasn't allowed to answer it herself. "Ziva the phone has been ringing." She yelled trying to be heard over the music.

Ziva turned down her music so that she could hear what Francesca was trying to tell her. "I am sorry. What did you say?"

"The phone has been ringing nonstop." Francesca repeated herself and as if to prove her point the phone rang again.

"Thank you tateleh." Ziva wiped her hands with the kitchen rag and ran to answer the phone before it went to their answering machine. Francesca went back upstairs to continue what she was doing.

"Hello?" Ziva said trying to catch her breath and compose herself.

"Mrs. DiNozzo this is Mr. Walken." He sounded like he was in a hurry to tell them something.

"Why yes hello Mr. Walken. How may I help you?" Ziva wasn't expecting a phone call so soon. The judge couldn't have made a decision could he Ziva thought.

"I have spoken with the judge and it seems that he found both of you to be suitable parents for Francesca. So congratulations Mrs. DiNozzo Francesca is officially yours." Ziva was speechless was she hearing him correctly. She didn't say anything so the lawyer continued. " Of course there is still the matter of filling out paperwork so that legally she is yours. But you will not need to worry about that until Tuesday morning. I will call you Monday morning to confirm a time and place. Let me warn you be prepared to be there for a while there is a lot of paper work but the child does not need to be present for this. Once again congratulations I know how much you wanted this and be expecting my call tomorrow. Have a nice day."

"Thank you I understand." After hanging up Ziva didn't know how to feel. She felt like breaking down and crying but knew that wouldn't help so instead she screamed out, "Tony!" She needed to tell him having him close would help her think clearly. "Tony!" She called again. By the fifth time he came running into the house.

"Ziva what's wrong?" Tony was huffing and puffing from dropping everything and running in.

"Nothing is wrong. But the lawyer did call." She said monotone still shocked from what the lawyer had said.

"And?" Tony was impatiently waiting for Ziva to tell him what he had said.

"We got her Tony! We got her!" Saying it out loud had finally made her react and all her emotions came at full speed. Ziva was crying, screaming and hugging Tony all at once.

Tony pulled Ziva's chin up and looked her in the eyes. He too had a few tears threatening to spill. "Ziva are you aware of what you just said?" He didn't know if he had heard her right.

She nodded. "She is ours Tony." She whispered still not believing it herself either. "We just have to go sign some papers on Tuesday but yes she is ours." More tears spilled. Ziva rarely cried but today it was like her body was finally planning on crying everything that she had build up over the years.

Tony hugged her tighter. "I can't believe it. The phone call couldn't have come at a better time. "I can't wait to tell the team they are going to be so excited."

Ziva got out of Tony's embrace, grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs. "But first we should tell our daughters the good news before anyone else."

They stood outside Francesca's room observing their two daughters. Both were playing dolls. They were so innocent and full of life. They were oblivious as to what that phone call signified and now they were going to get the best news in their life well at least Francesca was. Tony couldn't believe it Francesca was finally there's and they couldn't wait to tell her. She too would be very ecstatic to hear the news. No more visits with other families, with Audrey, no more fearing that she would never come back to Tony and Ziva and best of all no more nightmares that everyone she loved was leaving her.

Feeling someone standing at the door watching them Francesca turned around and saw Tony and Ziva with the biggest smiles in the world. "Hi Tony, Ziva," she waved with no clue of the news they were going to give her.

"Hi mommy daddy," Lila replied just as enthusiastic.

"What are you doing?" She went over to sit with them and waved Tony to do the same.

Lila held up her doll to show her mom what they were doing, "We pay bahbies."

"We have something we need to tell the both of you." Tony picked up Francesca and sat her on his lap.

"What is it Tony?" Francesca looked up at Tony and then Ziva they both seemed rather content. This calmed her down as to thinking it was something bad.

"What would you think if I were to tell you that you are now officially a DiNozzo?" Tony smiled as he noticed a smile creep onto Francesca's face.

Francesca lunged herself at both Tony and Ziva. "Really? I'm staying forever?" She squealed.

"Forever and ever," Tony kissed the top of her head at that moment he didn't care that he sounded like such a mush. He was so happy.

The doorbell rang interrupting their moment. "I'll get it." Tony placed Francesca on Ziva's lap, got up, wiped his tears and went to see who was at the door.

Before opening the door Tony composed himself going into goofball Tony mood so that nobody would catch on and ruin the surprise. "Hey McGoo. Hi Alexandra." Tony opened the door to allow them in.

"Hello Tony you seem a bit chipper today. Are you feeling okay?" McGee eyed Tony suspiciously.

"I'm fine Tim. Now come in." He led them to the backyard and brought over one of the comfy chairs for McGee's wife. Being five months pregnant in the summer was a very uncomfortable thing for her.

Ziva and the girls joined them but not before she told them not to say anything about their conversation earlier that day. They all greeted one another as the doorbell rang again. Tony left them to go answer the door. This time it was Gibbs, Jenny and Kristen. As McGee they had noticed something different in Tony's mood as well.

When they reached the backyard they each said their hellos. Kristen left to join the girls in the jungle gym, Jenny went to join Ziva who had retreated back to the kitchen, Alexandra went to go pee for the millionth time, and Gibbs and McGee helped Tony start up the girl.

"So, Tony have you heard from your lawyer?" McGee asked as he came back from the garage with more chairs.

"No, not yet." Tony lied.

"Well don't lose hope I'm sure you'll hear something soon." McGee tried to reassure him.

"Uh thanks McGee," Tony turned back to continue on the burgers.

McGee was going to say something else on the matter but Kristen came running over to tell her dad something. "Dad, mom said that if it is alright with you I can have a soda."

"Yes it's okay but nothing diet and no coke." Gibbs said firmly but with a smile. He wasn't himself or in realty he wasn't his usual hard self around his wife and daughter. He was just dad and husband.

"Thanks daddy." Kristen stood on her tiptoes to give her dad a kiss on the cheek and skipped back into the kitchen.

In an attempt to keep the conversation stranded from the adoption Tony risked getting head slapped. "If we ask like that will we get what we want too boss?" Tony joked.

Gibbs head slapped Tony and smiled. "That will only work if you are Jenny or Kristen which you are neither."

"Totally understood sorry boss." Tony still laughed regardless.

"Hello people!" Abby screamed making a dramatic entrance into the backyard saving Tony from another head slap.

"Hey Abbs," the guys called back holding back their laughs at Abby's entrance.

"Ziva, Jenny and Alex are in the kitchen I believe." Tony led Abby back inside.

Again the doorbell rang. "Well I'll leave you lovely ladies to it." He kissed his wife and headed to answer the door.

Ducky arrived with Palmer and two girls. "Hello Ducky, Palmer."

"Hello Anthony my dear boy. I have brought the little ones a present." Ducky handed Tony the present as he led them into the house.

"Thank you Ducky but you didn't have to." Tony took Ducky's hat and placed it in the hall closet. Then set the presents on the hall table.

"It was my pleasure. Now where is everyone?" Ducky waved it off.

"Outback. Go ahead." Ducky headed for the backyard. Tony turned to Palmer and eyed him suspiciously. "Palmer do you have kids that we don't know about?"

Palmer laughed nervously. "No these are my sisters kids she and her husband went on a business trip and left me to watch over them." It was evident by the look on his face that he was way in over his head.

"Well I know the girls will be pleased to have some more people to play with." Tony took Palmer and his nieces to the backyard where the other girls were.

"Lila, Francesca, Kristen!" Tony yelled out to them. When they came over he introduced Palmer's nieces and left them to play. Lila obviously the least shy of them all went up to the girls to introduce everyone. "Hi I Lila, this is my sister Cesca and Sten ou cousin." She pulled Kristen forward and they both waved.

"My name is actually Kristen and hers is Francesca." Kristen corrected what Lila had said.

"What you name?" Lila asked the girls who just stood there without saying a word.

The oldest spoke "I'm Emma and this is my sister Maisy."

Lila grabbed Maisy's hand and pulled her towards the swings. "You wanna play?" The little girl turned to look up at her sister.

"Go, you'll have fun." Emma encouraged her sister. Maisy nodded and followed Francesca and Lila.

"How old you are?" Lila asked curiously.

"I'm six. How old are you?" Maisy asked.

"I this many." Lila held up three fingers.

"What about you?" Maisy asked Francesca who hadn't really spoken since Lila had taken control.

"I'm five." Francesca smiled. It was nice to have someone other than her sister to play with.

Lila pulled both girls hands and led them over to the tree. "We have tea paty in twee house." All the three girls climbed up to the tree house to start on their tea party leaving the other two girls alone to talk.

"So is there anything here to do other than play with the little kids?" Emma was thirteen and was at that age where she didn't want to hang out with the little kids but didn't want to hang out with the adults either.

"They have a Wii in the game room we could play." Kristen suggested.

"Yeah that sounds good."

"Okay we just can't get caught because they'll make us come back outside." Both girls took off and snuck up into the playroom.

Now that everyone was here Tony and Ziva decided they should announce the big news. Tony stood up and Ziva followed. "We have some news we would like to share with you." Ziva started speaking.

"Ziva's pregnant!" Tony butted in jokingly. Everyone just stared but then smiled.

"Congratulations that's wonderful." Jenny added in.

Ziva punched Tony in the ribs. "Ouch that hurt." Ziva just glared at him. "I'm kidding." He got death glares from everyone. "But we really do have some news. The lawyer called Francesca is here to stay."

Everyone stayed quiet they didn't know if it was another one of Tony's jokes. They knew he wouldn't joke on this matter especially after what they had gone through. But regardless they didn't say anything just in case.

Seeing nobody had believed Tony Ziva stepped in. "Tony is not joking we really did get custody of Francesca."

Everyone now smiled cheered and went to go hug the couple. "That's amazing news. I'm really happy for you both." Jenny congratulated them.

McGee got up and bro hugged Tony. "Tony man that's amazing news I'm really happy for you."

Abby of course was the most excited and couldn't stop bouncing. It was strange she wasn't crying tears of joy.

Everyone finished congratulating the couple and then went back to their conversations they were having before the announcement.

"Damn girl you are really good. Do you spend all your time playing?" Kristen had beaten Emma at almost all the sports games they were playing on the Wii.

"No just when I come over here. I don't own a TV at home. Let alone a game system."

Emma gasped. She had never heard of such absurdities. "Are you serious? I could not live without a TV. What do you do in your free time?"

"What free time?" Kristen scoffed. "I'm two years ahead in school, in the gifted program, play tennis for my school and I'm in competitive gymnastics. If I'm not studying, I'm training for tennis or gymnastics or training with my dad. My free time is when I come to these things. So no I really wouldn't have any time to watch TV."

"Dang girl I'm certainly glad I'm not you. Well how old are you?" Emma was certainly glad she wasn't Kristen.

"Ten but it just comes with having the NCIS director as your mom and a special agent as a dad." She shrugged like she was used to her life. She quite enjoyed it actually always being busy. Her mom was her role model. She wanted to be like her a strong, independent, women who achieved what she wanted and if this is what it took she was willing to work for it.

"My dads a lawyer and my moms a teacher at my school. But they don't push me as much as yours. I get straight A's because I want to not because I have to." Of course she would brag as well she wouldn't let Kristen be the only kid genius.

"I'm not expected to get good grades I just do. I'm actually not expected to do all of which I said. I just choose to."

Before Emma could respond Francesca came upstairs huffing and puffing. "Uncle Gibbs and aunt Jenny are looking for you. Foods ready."

"Thanks Cesca." The girls quickly turned off the game and headed back outside before they were caught.

Abby the most excited about all of this apart from Tony and Ziva of course wanted to know everything. So she went to sit next to Ziva and hounded her for information. "So has she started calling you mom yet?"

"Abby we just found out this morning. It's not like it'll change anything. She's not ready to call us that and we understand." Abby noticed the sadness in her tone but nonetheless proceeded to ask more information.

"Has she called you that at all?" Abby was sure that once the adoption was final Francesca would start calling Tony and Ziva mommy and daddy.

"She has a couple of times. The most recent was right after the court hearing." Ziva smiled remembering the times she had called her mom. Some had been during nightmares but others completely out of the blue.

"Well I'm sure she will be calling you guys that in no time. She loves the both of you very much." Abby put a hand on Ziva's shoulder and smiled.

Ziva nodded in agreement with Abby. Each time Francesca called her mommy by accident she felt well she didn't know how to explain it but she loved it and wished that Abby would be right.

Meanwhile the guys were having some argument over burgers. "Damn it probie you burnt the burgers."

"I didn't burn the burgers Tony." McGee argued back shoving Tony out of the way so he could finish up the last ones.

"No, then what do you call this McGeek super well done?" Tony pointed to a burger that was really burnt. It almost looked like a piece of charcoal.

"I didn't burn them." McGee was turning red from embarrassment but he wouldn't admit to burning those burgers.

Tony punched McGee in a joking matter. "McGoo you have a baby on the way you need to learn how to cook."

"I know how to cook." McGee argued. He wasn't going to allow Tony to embarrass him in front of his wife.

They continued to argue as they finished off the last of the burgers. Tony pushed McGee out of the way and finished them off before he burnt anymore. Francesca came back out with Kristen and Emma successfully without getting caught by the adults.

"Do you girls want a hotdog or hamburger?" Ziva asked the girls once they had come over to her.

"I hotdog, mommy" Lila raised her finger.

"I want hamburger mommy." Francesca said.

Abby couldn't contain her grin. She had heard Francesca call Ziva mommy. She poked Ziva to try and get her attention but she just ignored her. Abby was way more than excited than needed.

Ziva got up, ignoring Abby's commotion and went to go get the girls food. She returned with their food and placed it in their spots. Abby still had her grin and wanted to talk to Ziva.

"Thank you Ziva." Abby's grin went away. Maybe it was just one of those instances Ziva was talking about.

Ziva placed Lila's hotdog in front of her and then sat down with her own food. As soon as Ziva sat down Abby kept poking Ziva no longer with so much excitement as before. "Yes Abby?" Ziva asked a bit annoyed.

"She called you mommy Ziva. Why aren't you a bit more excited?" She didn't understand why she didn't get excited. It was like when your baby said mama for the first time.

"Because Abby it has happened before she calls me mommy by accident and then quickly reverts to calling me Ziva. So no I am not going to get my hopes up every time she does." Unfortunately for Abby Ziva had been lying she did get her hopes up each time and each time it came as a disappointment.

"I'm sorry Ziva. I just thought maybe now she would start calling you mom. I mean you have been her parents for a couple of months now. I just thought." Abby felt horrible for getting Ziva upset she knew she had been going through a lot lately.

"Just forget it Abby." Ziva waved the issue off and continued to eat her food.

Tony came over with his plate of food and sat down between Lila and Ziva. He gave her a kiss on the lips. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine." Again Ziva tried to wave it off. She did not want to talk about it. It was ridiculous for her to get upset about something like that.

Tony trying not to push her changed the subject. "How are the burgers?"

"They are delicious." Ziva gave Tony another kiss.

"Better than McGeek's right?" Tony said trying to lighten the mood for his wife.

"Would you mind laying off my husband? I'm sick and tired of all your jokes." Alexandra, not really part of the team, wasn't used to all of the bantering between partners and quite frankly she was getting tired of it.

"Umh yeah I'm sorry." The table got really quite and Tony got really serious.

"That's more like it." Tony rolled his eyes. He knew Alexandra could be a bitch. She rarely liked to hang out with the team and when she did she was always in a bad mood.

Tony not sure what to do asked if anyone would like a refill on drinks. Ziva got up and followed her husband to help him with the drinks. "You know I really can't stand her. I could deal with her if it was just small talk. But this. You know we always do this with each other."

Ziva put a hand on her husband's back and rubbed it gently letting him blow fumes. She knew it always helped to just rant. Mind she always ranted in Hebrew so no one understood her but regardless. "I know. Just take a deep breath and ignore her. That's what I do. You know how I am with prissy people."

Tony laughed he did know how Ziva was with mindless prissy people. He could always count on Ziva to make him smile.

They grabbed the drinks and headed back outside where McGee's wife was talking about all the bad things that Tony ever said about McGee and how horrible he was. Tony took a deep breath and took a sit. Ziva grabbed his hand to try to calm him down.

After lunch and resting a bit everyone except for Alexandra and Ducky got in the pool. The little kids got in the kiddy part and the adults and older girls started a game of water volleyball. It was Ziva, Tony, McGee and Emma against Jenny, Gibbs, Palmer, and Kristen. Abby was the referee. She really didn't like to play games. Gibb's team was doing better than Tony's they were beating them by two points.

Everyone was taking this game very seriously. They were throwing themselves for the ball, serving professionally, and arguing if it was out of bounds or not. The girls were cheering their parents on motivating Tony more to win. "Let's go daddy! Let's go! Come on daddy, mommy beat them!" Both Francesca and Lila screamed.

After those motivational cheers Tony's team scored one point now they were only down by one. It was their turn to serve again. Emma served the ball, Gibbs bumped it to Jenny, who spiked it over the net, Ziva lunged for it, the ball flew over to Tony, he bumped it to Ziva who jumped up and spiked it. Jenny lunged for it but missed the ball by a couple of inches. It was a point for them.

Tony and Ziva jumped up and high fived each other. Last point and Tony's team would win. Emma was the best server so again they had her serve. She served it over palmer lucked out and hit it back over the net to the far back. Emma hit the ball over to Tony, who bumped it to Ziva, who again spike it but this time Jenny was able to save the ball and pass it over the net. McGee made it in time and hit the ball who handed it to Emma she hit it over the net but Gibbs hit it back.

The teams were ready to end this. Emma got the ball and bumped it to Tony who again bumped it to Ziva to spike over. Once again they weren't able to save it and they scored. Tony's time won. All four jumped and high fived each other. They were laughing so hard. Tony went up to McGee. "Good job McGee you really surprised me today." Tony congratulated McGee on his performance in the game. He wasn't really athletic but he had surprised them all today.

The doorbell rang. Tony wondered who that could be everyone that was invited was already here. "Ducky would you mind getting that?" Ziva asked they were in the pool and didn't want to get the house wet.

"Not at all my dear." Ducky got up from the lounge chairs and went to answer the door.

"Hello," Ducky greeted.

"Hello, are Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo available?" The lady at the door asked.

"Whom might I ask is asking?" Ducky wouldn't let her in until he knew who she was.

"Audrey Dawson, the social worker."

Ducky let her in to the backyard. She stayed by the sliding glass doors while Ducky went to get Tony and Ziva. He went to the edge of the pool and called them over. "Who was it Ducky?" Ziva approached him.

"She says her name is Audrey Dawson, your social worker." Ducky noticed Ziva's face turn serious.

"Tony!" Ziva called him over. "Audrey is here."

"What the hell does she want?" Tony had the same expression as Ziva.

"I'm sorry was I not supposed to let her in?" Ducky apologized.

"No its okay Duck." Tony took Ziva's hand. "Lets go see what she wants."

They got out of the pool and approached Audrey. "What the hell do you want?" Tony didn't want her in his house after everything she had down at the hearing.

"I wanted to come by and apologize." She barely managed to spit out. She felt really uncomfortable and nervous here.

"Well then continue…." Tony wasn't calming down until he heard the actual sincere apology.

"Well right after the trail I got fired and a good talking to from my boss. After the anger and bitterness wore off I came into reason. I now understand that I wasn't being completely fair to you or the girl. I said some horrible things to her and for that I am truly sorry. I am sorry for ruining the hearing although it still seems that everything went in your favor. Congratulations and again I'm sorry." She didn't know what to do know. She was completely out of her comfort zone. She stood there while Tony and Ziva didn't say anything. After a while she turned around and went inside to see her way out.

"Thank you but I want you to apologize to Francesca for everything you put her through. Because of you she would wake up screaming from nightmares and come back from your visits crying. So, no you do not get off that easy." Ziva went to go get Francesca leaving Tony alone with Audrey.

"I would just like to say my wife may have believed your apology but I wont. You don't get to just waltz in here and apologize. You have no idea what you put my family through." Tony wasn't going to let her get off so easily.

Ziva came over with Francesca and put her in front of her. "Francesca I want to apologize for everything I said to you about how you couldn't stay with Tony and Ziva. You were clearly happy with them and I tried to take you away. I am sorry and I'm glad that you get to stay with them." Francesca smiled she would be staying with them forever.

"Thank you." Francesca smiled and gave her a hug.

"Thank you for coming. Can you see yourself out?" Tony asked rudely and sarcastically. He still didn't believe her but was glad that she had been fired.

She nodded and walked out seeing herself out. They went back to the pool and continued to have fun with the rest.

Soon later McGee and Alexandra left because she was getting a bit exhausted. Ducky left soon after as well because he needed to go take care of his mother. Palmer left as well because Maisy had fallen and scrapped her knee. Although it wasn't anything serious she wanted to go home. Abby reluctantly left but she needed to go take care of her dog.

Before they left Kristen and Emma exchanged phone numbers. They had had a lot of fun and promised to hang out soon. Then Kristen thought it a good idea to have a sleep over so she invited her over. At first Gibbs was reluctant but jenny convinced him that it would be okay.

Now it was just Tony, Ziva, Gibbs, Jenny and the girls left. They got out of the pool and headed inside. The girls went upstairs to play and Ziva went to make some coffee.

It was getting late and Jenny, Gibbs, Kristen, and Emma said their good byes and went back home. This left Tony and Ziva to pick up. Ziva was picking up a coffee mug when tony put his hand on top of hers. "Leave it I'll pick up you go get the girls ready for bed." Tony gave Ziva a kiss and went upstairs to get ready for bed.

She found them in Francesca's room coloring. "Bath time."

"No mommy. We color." Lila argued.

"Yes, you went swimming and now you need a bath." Lila sighed but stopped coloring. Both girls got up and ran to the bathroom.

"Can we have a bubble bath?" Francesca went to get the bubbles out of the closet. She handed her mom the bubbles. Ziva poured them and started up the bath.

The girls jumped in and brought in their bath time Barbies. They played for a while putting the bubbles all over themselves and getting some on their mom. "Alright time to get out of the bath."

"Five more minutes?" Lila asked. She wanted to keep playing.

"No tateleh, mommy is tired." Ziva was super tired all she wanted to do was go to bed.

The girls got out of the bath, got their bathrobes, and went straight to their rooms. Once they got in their PJs and their hair brushed Lila went back to Francesca's room so Ziva could read them a bedtime story. Ziva came back into Francesca's room with her PJs on as well.

"Will you read us a story?" Lila got in bed with Francesca while Ziva went to the bookshelf to get a book. She grabbed the first one she saw Little Red Riding Hood in Hebrew. She came back and lay between them. They didn't get halfway through the story before all three were asleep.

Tony was downstairs finishing cleaning the living room, backyard, and kitchen. He went upstairs and jumped in the shower when he got out he expected to find Ziva already in bed but she wasn't. He got dressed and went to go find her. He went to Lila's room but she wasn't there. He then went to Francesca's room and smiled when he walked in. All three were fast asleep cuddled with one another.

Tony went to go get Lila and take her back to her room. Then he came back to wake Ziva. "Zi, honey, let's get you to bed."

"Hmmm," Ziva mumbled and then stirred.

"Zi, honey." He shook her a bit.

She started to blink rapidly and she finally woke. "Tony?" She whispered.

"You feel asleep sweet cheeks. Lets go to bed." He grabbed her hand and led her to their bed.

"I love you Ziva." Tony spooned his wife and kissed her on top of her head.

Ziva grabbed Tony's hands, kissed them, "I love you my little hairy butt.

**Don't forget to review!**


	8. FIeld Trips and Interns

**[A/N Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. It's because of you that the story keeps going. So please keep reviewing. I need to ask a favor of you. I have run out of ideas for this story and so I ask of you if you have any ideas please feel free to review them. Ideas will help from the chapters to turn out sucky like they have been for this and the last chapter]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS**

All week Tony and Ziva had been staying at work until two in the morning following any leads on the death of a petty officer. But unfortunately they were all dead ends and Gibbs had allowed them to go home and get some rest. But he wanted them back at nine a.m. sharp the following morning. The whole week had been the same late nights and early morning. Both were running out of fuel. They were so exhausted that Ziva did not get up for her usual five a.m. run and both managed to sleep through the alarm. Thankfully after a while Francesca heard it and went to go wake her parents.

They had to put a move on it if they didn't want to be late but with two kids and two very exhausted parents it was a bit difficult. They had to get the girls ready, themselves, quick breakfast, pack Francesca's lunch, get them to daycare and somehow manage to still get themselves to work on time. It was an impossible task.

"Tony! Francesca! Lila! Lets go!" Ziva called up the stairs. If they left now there was still a chance they could make it.

"Coming." All three called as they rushed down the stairs. Tony and Lila went straight to the car but Francesca stopped. She was forgetting something.

"Ziva where's my lunch?" Francesca asked.

Ziva handed Francesca her work backpack and files. "Take this to the car for me. I will get your lunch." She ran to the fridge to grab Francesca's lunch, made her way back to the front door and headed to the car where they were waiting for her.

Tony made it to the daycare in record time; breaking a few laws along the way. But the nonetheless they had made it and if they hurried both could still make it to work on time.

"Bye Tony," Francesca waved as she hoped out of the car.

"Bye Daddy," Lila reached into the front seat to give her dad a kiss goodbye.

"Bye. Have fun at your field trip, Francesca." Tony waved them off.

Ziva took them to their room, handed Francesca her lunch and gave their instructor Francesca's permission slip to go to the local aquarium. The girls said bye to their mom and then she rushed back to the car.

Back at NCIS Tony, McGee and Ziva sat at their desk trying to find anything that would get them one step closer to solving the petty officer's case. A very hot green-eyed brunette approached Tony's desk. She was very well dressed and young. "Agent Gibbs?"

Tony eyes never left his computer screen. But Ziva's did and she was very curious as to whom this woman might be. He lifted his hand and pointed to Gibb's desk. "Coffee run. He will be right back."

"Well do you think you could help me Agent…?" Tony finally looked up and he had his typical DiNozzo grin. The woman smiled seductively, flipped her hair, and moved the files she was holding from her chest, distracting Tony from what he was going to say.

Seeing this woman's motives he cleared his throat and went back to staring at his computer screen. "I need to get back to work before my boss comes back and catches me goofing off."

Ziva frustrated with the situation got up from her desk and walked over to where the woman was. She stood straight up and held out her hand. "I'm agent DiNozzo, how can I help you?" McGee and Tony just watched from their desks waiting to see what would happen between the two women. Regular Ziva was vicious enough they didn't know what a jealous Ziva was capable of doing.

The woman stretched out her hand and shook Ziva's. "Megan Olsen, I'm looking for Special Agent Gibbs. I'm the new intern he has been assigned."

Ziva wanting to get payback led her over to Gibb's desk. "You can wait here until he gets back." Ziva smirked she knew Gibbs hated people sitting at his desk more than he hated interns.

McGee and Tony just put down their heads and choked on their laughs. They straightened up and went back to work. The intern just kept eyeing Tony as he worked. But he was completely oblivious to this and would stare at Ziva as she worked. Occasionally getting caught by his wife and smiling at each other.

The panda group, that consisted of kids age's five to seven, was on their way to the National Aquarium in D.C. Before leaving on the field trip Ms. Addison assigned everyone a field trip buddy. That buddy would sit with them on the bus and stick together throughout the duration of the field trip. Francesca was assigned to Mia Sorento. She had only talked to her once or twice before in daycare. "What do you want to see when we get there?" Francesca asked Mia trying to start up a conversation. So that the bus ride wouldn't be boring and awkward.

"Uh maybe the octopus and sharks. Those are my favorite. What about you?" Mia really wanted to be friends with Francesca but always found her a bit intimidating.

"All of them. I really love the ocean. My mommy was a marine bologist. She always went on trips and would bring me back something special." She smiled as she remembered when her mom and her would cuddle on the couch as they flipped through all the photographs that she took on her trips.

"I thought you mom was a special agent." Mia asked confused. She had remembered that Francesca had once told the group about what her parents did for a living.

"No, that's Ziva, she's my adoptive mommy. My really mommy died." Francesca got a bit sad as she remembered her parents.

"Ah don't get sad. I'm adopted too but I never met my real mommy and daddy. I got adoptive when I was a baby. But my parents now are the best." Mia told her the truth about her family in hopes of having something to bond over. "Is Lila adopted too?"

"No just me." Francesca frowned.

This surprised Mia, Lila looked absolutely nothing like her parents. "That's weird cause you look more like you adoptive parents than Lila." Mia laughed.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Francesca turned so that she was seated sideways in the bus seat.

"Yeah two brothers one sister. Christa is the oldest she's 8, then there's Patrick he's 7, and my twin brother Matthew he's 5. Matthew and I are the only adoptive children."

"Wow that a big family." Francesca's eyes widen.

"Yea but it can be fun." Mia laughed.

Their conversation had kept them so entertained that they had not noticed they were at the aquarium until the teacher caught their attention. "When I let you off the bus I would like for all of you to stay with your buddy and get in line." The bus driver opened the doors, the chaperones got off, then the teacher, and lastly all thirty of the students. They got in line and the teacher distributed to all the kids their nametag in blue, green, or purple. The color determined which of the three groups they would be in.

Each kid went to his or her respective groups. They gathered around their chaperone and had their picture taken as group. While they took the pictures Ms. Addison waited for their entrance tickets.

Ziva noticed Gibbs get out of the elevator from the corner of her eye. She signaled to the others that Gibbs was here and for them to get back to work. Everyone tensed up and got back to typing on their computers pretending to be searching something on the case. They didn't know in what kind of mood Gibbs would be especially now with the intern sitting at his desk.

Gibbs walked into the squad room with his coffee in hand and eyed his team suspiciously. He stopped at his desk, took a sip, and stared the intern down. The other agents stopped pretending to be typing on their computers to see watch the interaction between them. "Agent Gibbs?" The intern asked nervously.

Gibbs didn't say anything instead he took another sip of coffee. "I'm Megan Olsen, your new intern." She held out her hand but Gibbs didn't shake it he just continued to stare at her.

He pointed a finger and motioned for her to follow him. She didn't follow him and he was already halfway up the stairs to see the director. "That means follow him. Run!" McGee advised the intern. The intern took off running after him and the other three agents laughed.

"Twenty dollars says she comes down crying." McGee betted. Gibbs had a record for breaking the interns. That is why he rarely got interns assigned to him.

"I'll take that bet." Tony was confident he'd win the bet because she wasn't even a bit intimidated by Gibbs when she met him.

Ziva's desk phone rang. "DiNozzo?"

"Oh yes, hello." McGee and Tony were staring intently as Ziva talked on the phone.

"Hold on." Ziva put her hand over the receiver and called over to Tony. "Tony it is the lawyer he wants to know if we are sure on the name we put on the adoption papers? He is going to submit them later today and wants to make sure we are sure."

Tony smiled they had finally signed all the papers and Francesca was now legally there's. "I am as long as you are." Ziva nodded.

She took her hand off the receiver. "Hello Mr. Walken you can go ahead and submit the papers. Thank you for calling us. Have a nice day."

The door slammed and Gibbs followed by the intern walked down the stairs. No one said a word they just watched as to what Gibbs was going to do. Gibbs went over to another desk stole a chair and placed it by McGee's desk. "Sit" Gibbs barked.

"Updates now!" Gibbs barked. It was clear that he had not won his argument with Jenny. They were stuck with the intern for the rest of the week.

McGee was the first one to speak. "Boss I've been going over Zachary Evans records. One number in particular has appeared consistently in his records. It was also the last number dialed before his death. That number belongs to a Carly smith." McGee displayed the picture of Carly on the plasma. "His bank records show that several bank transfers were made to Carly's account over the last several months. The last one made was over a week ago."

"Address?" Gibbs barked.

"She went off the grid." McGee said nervously.

Gibbs got furious. _Not another dead end. _Zivaspoke up before Gibbs blew a fuse. "I called in some favors." She handed Gibbs a sticky note with an address. "She's been living in a motel near Manassas, Virginia for the last two weeks."

"Ziva, DiNozzo bring her in." Gibbs barked and handed Ziva back the sticky note.

"But boss it's an hour away we won't make it back in time to get the girls." Tony said concerned.

"Go DiNozzo if you aren't back in time I'll take care of it." Gibbs really wasn't in the mood for back talking.

"Thank you boss." Tony and Ziva grabbed their gear but they weren't moving fast enough for Gibbs's liking.

"Go!" He barked at them again.

"Yes boss on it boss." Tony said and both ran off to catch the elevator before Gibbs screamed at them again.

Now that the manager had given Ms. Addison the tickets she distributed the groups so that they would all go to different exhibits. The blue group was going to a screening of a documentary on seahorses, the purple team was going to the main exhibit and the green team was going to the hands on exhibit.

They were taken into a large screening room and led to their seats. A man came on the screen announcing to them that they would be showing a documentary called the Wonders of Seahorses and to please remain quiet as a courtesy to others.

The lights faded and the film started. Billions of seashores appeared floating on the screen as Morgan Freeman's voice started to speak. He started by explaining that although believed that seahorses are excellent swimmers, because they are classified as fish, in all actuality they are not. Seahorses are horrible swimmers and prefer to hold on to seaweed or coral for days and float around. Even though they can move their fins fifty times per second they do not move very quickly. There are fifty-three species found throughout the world ranging from one to fourteen inches in length. Seahorses are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. A female and male have an elaborate courtship ritual that involves a dance. They intertwine tails and may change colors. In their relationship the male species is the one to carry the offspring.

As soon as the video came on Francesca's eyes were glued to the screen. She was so fascinated by everything. Captivated by all the information that was being given. She enjoyed learning about the ocean and hoped that one day she would be able to follow in her mother's footsteps. "This is so cool." Francesca whispered over to Mia.

"It's okay. It's quite boring." Mia yawned so to add emphasis to how bored she was by all of this.

These wonderful creatures are used by humans in many ways and unfortunately have caused them to become endangered. Please help us stop the extinction of these wonderful and magnificent creatures.

The screen went dark and the credits started to appear. The lights come back on, the chaperone came to the front of the row and the kids followed her to the main exhibit.

When they entered all the kid's eyes went wide. "Wow!" There were tanks everywhere. There were all kinds of sea creatures swimming by. It was a bit intimidating but it was also pretty cool. The chaperones and guide stopped them before they went on their own. They handed each group a worksheet with various species of aquatic animals. Each time they found one that was listed on the paper they had to check it off.

At the first tank Francesca and Mia spotted the clown fishes and the anemones where they lived. They watched them for a while, got bored, checked them off their list and then walked over to the next tank. There they found gigantic electric eels. "Eew they look angry all the time." Francesca despised eels they weren't very pleasant sea animals.

"They're like a giant electric pickle." Francesca laughed at Mia's description of them.

They moved on to the next tank. This one was four times the size of the other two. It had manta rays, nurse sharks, baby sharks, adult sharks, octopus, sea turtles, and various other kinds of fishes.

"Look there's the manta ray and octopus." Francesca pointed out the other things that were on their list. After they checked off all the ones they found they went to sit on the bench to wait for the rest of the group.

There they stared at the tank observing everything about the aquatic animals. Francesca jumped off the bench and went closer to the tank when she saw a man in a scuba outfit jumped into the water. He swam by the front and waved at the girls. He continued to swim, playing with the animals as he passed them. Once the group caught up they moved on to another.

Francesca was fascinated by all of this. She loved the ocean and all it's wonders. There were so many creatures in the ocean and so many more to be discovered. This field trip helped her realized that she wanted to be a marine biologist when she grew up.

The chaperones gathered them up and led them to the next exhibit. She was sad that they couldn't continue in this exhibit a little bit longer. She could spend hours staring at them, observing. But unfortunately there time was up in this exhibit and the next group was coming in.

Tony and Ziva made it to the motel got out of the car and headed for the front desk. "I hope she's here so that we can make it back in time to get the girls."

"So do I but that is never the case." Ziva knew they weren't going to make it back in time. It just came with the job.

When they made it to the front desk Tony and Ziva flashed their badge. "NCIS."

"Yes what can I do for you?" The desk clerk asked frightened.

"We are looking for a Carly Smith." He showed him the picture of their suspect.

"She checked in a few weeks ago. Said she'd be staying here for a while." The manager handed him a key card. "Room 405, go back out and it's the second building in the back." Tony took the key card and went to the room.

Tony knocked, "NCIS open up!" They waited a few minutes, no answer. Ziva stood behind Tony gun raised. Tony had his gun in one hand and opened the door with the other.

They went straight in and made sure the perimeter was clear. "Dammit they can never make it easy for us. Can they?" Frustrated Tony kicked the nearest drawer.

Ziva looked around and laughed. "She's a bigger slob than you Tony."

"Not funny." Tony continued to look around trying to find any evidence that would connect her to the murder of Zachary Evans. "She left all her stuff which means she has to come back."

"Most likely. We need to call Gibbs." Ziva made a disgusted face as she maneuvered her way through the room trying not to step on anything.

Tony pulled out his cellphone and called speed dial two. "Yeah Gibbs." Gibbs answered in his usual manner.

"Boss we are in Carly's room and there is no sign of her. She's left all her stuff so we believe she might come back. What do you want us to do?" Tony really hoped he would tell them to go back home.

"I want you to wait to see if she comes back. If within two hours there are no signs of her call me before I give you any instructions."

"But boss we won't make it back in time for the girls." Tony didn't really want to wait for a suspect when he could be on his way to pick up his daughters.

"DiNozzo don't worry about it I got it. Now I need for you and Ziva to stay until further notice. Understood?"

"Yes boss," Tony slammed his phone shut clearly frustrated with the situation.

"What did Gibbs say?" Ziva approached Tony and put a hand on his thigh.

"We are to stay until she shows." He said mimicking Gibbs voice.

"But what about the girls?" Ziva asked worried.

"Gibbs has it under control." He scoffed. Clearly not understanding.

"So we wait." Ziva repeated as she rolled her eyes.

They went to the final exhibit of their tour, the hands on exhibit. They had many stations where you could hold some of the non-harmful aquatic animals.

Francesca and Mia went to the station that had manta rays first. The person in charge told them to hold out there hand and gently place it on top of the manta ray. Mia didn't want to but Francesca was eager to touch it. "Eww that feels weird." Francesca shrieked. The manta ray was smooth, rubbery and slimy. "Come on Mia it's incredible."

"No it's okay. I'll just watch." Mia was a bit hesitant and nervous on touching them.

"Come on you'll be okay." Francesca tried to convince Mia to participate. She gave in and touched a manta ray.

"Ha this does feel weird." Mia smiled. She was glad she had decided to join in. It wasn't all that bad.

After they finished with the manta rays they went to another station where they had starfishes and sea urchins. "Come on I want to hold these."

Mia ran after Francesca to catch up with her. "Hi ladies would you like to hold a star fish or sea urchin." Francesca nodded but once again Mia was hesitant. But Francesca was able to convince her once again. "Did you know that a sea star and star fish are able to regenerate a lost limb?" The girl in charge informed them.

"Wow," Francesca responded. The girl set the sea star on top of Francesca's hands and immediately suctioned her fingers. "This is so cool."

Another one was placed on Mia's hands and she had the same reaction as Francesca. After holding them for a while. They thanked the lovely lady and went to see more.

After spending an hour in that part of the tour the group headed back to the front to meet up with the others. They turned in their worksheet and then thanked everyone for their help and got back on the bus. Once on the bus Ms. Addison took role to make sure everyone was accounted for and then headed to a nearby park for lunch.

Tony and Ziva had been sitting there for a while. They were starting to think that Carly Smith was never going to show. Tony was ready to call Gibbs when they heard noises outside the room door. Tony went to the window and moved the curtain slightly. "It's Carly." Tony whispered over to Ziva.

She stood ready with her guns raised at the door and Tony stood by the window. The door rattled as someone attempted to open it. Once Carly entered Tony yelled NCIS. As soon as she saw them she dropped her grocery bags and took off running back to her car. Ziva took off running after her she caught her but Carly punched her in the face and was able to escape. But Ziva was quicker; she caught her just as she fumbled for her keys to open the door.

Ziva pushed her against the car door and handcuffed her. "You are under arrest for the murder of Zachary Evans." Ziva spat.

"I didn't kill anyone." The women spat back and wiggled to try and get out of Ziva's hold.

"Then why did you run?" She knew by know that guilty always ran.

"I think I would like to call my lawyer."

"Yes you would." Ziva took her off the car and led her back to the room where Tony was already phoning Gibbs to inform him that they had Carly Smith in their custody.

"What did Gibbs say?" Ziva asked as she tried to maintain a squirming woman in her grasp.

"He said to tell you good job and that he is on his way to pick up the girls and will meet us there." Tony was glad they had her so that he could go back and see his daughters.

Ziva pushed Carly forward gaining her a grunt from her. Ziva just pulled her tighter and pushed her into the car.

Tony got in the drivers seat, took Ziva's hand and sped off driving Gibbs style. The sooner they got back the better.

Gibbs had already checked out Lila and was patiently waiting when Francesca finally arrived back from her field trip. She entered the building with her group, saw Gibbs, and ran towards him. "Grandpa Gibbs!" She hugged him tightly. "Where are Ziva and Tony?"

"I have them working. So the three of us are going to go to have dinner and then ill take you back with your parents."

"Where we going?" Lila asked looking up intently at Gibbs.

"My favorite diner. So go get your stuff so we can get going." Francesca ran back to her class and grabbed her backpack. She said bye to Mia and ran back to her sister and grandpa.

On the way to the diner Francesca would not stop talking of all the things she saw at the aquarium and how much fun she had had.

Her stories kept them entertained the entire way and before they knew it they had reached Sally Mae's diner. They walked in and Gibbs led them to his favorite booth. His usual waitress came up to take their order. "Hiya Gibbs I see you brought yourself two lovely ladies." The women smiled at the girls.

"Gertrude these are my granddaughters Lila and Francesca."

"Nice to meet y'all. Now what can I get for y'all?" She took her pen from her hair and grabbed her notepad from her apron.

"I'll have the usual." Gibbs handed her his menu and signaled the girls to order.

"I want chicken strips, fries and a vanilla shake." Francesca ordered. Usually Ziva made them eat healthy but when they were with Gibbs or Tony they could get away with junk food as long as they didn't tell their mom.

"I want grilled cheese and vanilla shake." Lila ordered cheerfully.

The old lady laughed as she wrote down their order. "I take it they don't get to eat like this much."

Gibbs laughed as well. "No they're mom is sort of a health freak."

"Enjoy then, ill have your order out soon." The woman laughed and walked off to place their order.

"No telling your mom about this okay." Gibbs warned them.

Both girls pretend to lock their mouth and throw away the key. "Okay now that's settled tell me more about this field trip." Gibbs leaned back and folded his arms.

"My field trip buddy was Mia. She's my new best friend she told me that she's adopted too. But she has two brothers and one sister."

"Wow that's a lot." Gibbs laughed.

The waitress came back with their coffee and two vanilla shakes. Lila immediately started drinking hers not paying any attention to the conversation her sister and grandpa were having.

"Grandpa Gibbs can I ask you a serious question?" Francesca started to fidget with her fingers as she often did when nervous.

Gibbs nodded. "Anything munchkin."

"Do you think my real mommy and daddy will get sad if I call Tony and Ziva mommy and daddy?"

"I think your mom and dad are very happy that you have found a loving family and aren't sad and lonely." Gibbs was definitely out of his comfort zone with this conversation.

"But what if they sad. I love them very much but I also love Tony and Ziva. They my parents too and I want to call them mommy and daddy."

"Munchkin I think you should talk with Tony and Ziva about this. If you talk to them they can help you way better than I can." Francesca nodded and smiled gratefully at him.

"I have to go peepee." Lila warned.

Gibbs look terrified he didn't know what to do he couldn't take a little girl into the men's restroom and he couldn't go into the women's restroom. What was he to do? "Francesca can you take your sister to the bathroom?" She nodded. Gibbs sighed a breath of relief.

Francesca took Lila's hand and took her to the restroom as Gibbs watched them the entire time. The waitress came back with the food while the girls were in the restroom. "Your granddaughters are very lovely."

"They're something else aren't they?" She finished leaving the food and walked off.

The girls came running back and jumped into their seat. They eyed the food and began to devour it immediately.

Tony, Ziva and the suspect made it back to headquarters in record time. When they headed up to the squad room they saw Megan was the only one there. "Where's Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"Abby's lab with McGee and two very adorable little girls." The intern informed them.

"Can you tell him we will be waiting for him in interrogation?" Tony asked him as they headed towards interrogation.

"Anything for you handsome." She picked up McGee's phone and dialed Abby's lab. Both Ziva and Tony rolled their eyes.

Tony left the suspect in interrogation and they went into observation to wait for Gibbs. Megan Olsen, the intern had beaten them down. She approached Tony and held out her hand. "Hello gorgeous you never really told me your name." She flirted with him once again.

"Anthony DiNozzo. Now will you let me watch the interrogation so that I can go home with my wife and daughters?" Tony told her frustrated. It had been a long day and all Tony wanted to do was go home.

"You two are married?" Megan asked surprised.

"Yes," Tony answered as he and Ziva watched Gibbs interrogate the suspect they had brought in.

"Why would someone like him marry someone like her?" The intern whispered or so she thought she had.

That was it no one insulted his wife. Tony saw Ziva get ready to lung at her but he held her back. "I got this." He whispered over to Ziva. "Let me tell you something no one insults my wife. If by someone like her you meant someone incredibly gorgeous, sexy, intelligent, caring, compassionate and total badass. Then your previous statement is wrong. What you meant to say is what is someone like her doing with someone like me. Now if I where you I would apologize before I allow my wife to kick your ass."

"I'm sorry I was completely out of line." The intern apologized and continued to watch what was left of the interrogation. Tony and Ziva did the same.

Shortly after the interrogation was over. Gibbs walked out of the room and into observation. He called his agents out. "Good job today. Get your girls and go home. Tell McGee to head home too. It's been a long day." He patted them on the shoulder.

"Thanks boss." Tony thanked him.

"Thanks Gibbs." Ziva thanked him.

"Oh Francesca was troubled about something earlier today so make sure you ask her about it when you get the chance." Gibbs headed back up to the squad room and the two headed for Abby's lab.

"Hey Abbs" Tony greeted as he made his way over to the futon followed by Ziva.

"Hey guys. They crashed a little a while ago. They wanted to stay up and wait for you but just couldn't."

"Thanks Abby" Ziva thanked her as she picked up Lila and Tony carried Francesca.

On their way to the car Francesca woke up. Nobody said a word until they were all in the car and on the road.

"How was your day tateleh?" Ziva asked.

"Amazing! I made a new friend." Francesca proceeded to tell them all about Mia, the seahorse documentary, all the aquatic species she saw, the checklist, and all the ones she got to hold. She then told them about the park and what they did after they ate their lunch.

Before they knew it they were home. Lila had not once even stirred. She was out cold. "Well we are glad you had fun." Ziva smiled.

Francesca nodded and then got out of the car. She was sent upstairs to put on her pajama while they put Lila to bed. After Tony and Ziva had settled her in they went in to talk to Francesca. Each sat at one side of the bed.

"Tateleh grandpa Gibbs said there was something bothering you?" Ziva placed a hand on her cheek.

She nodded. "What is it? You can tell us anything?"

She sighed but continued nonetheless. "I want to call you mommy and daddy but I'm scared that it'll make my mommy and daddy sad."

Ziva took Francesca's hand. "Tateleh we understand that you still miss your mommy and daddy because they'll always be your parents. But you have to understand that it is also okay if you want to call us that. We are your parents too but that doesn't mean that we will ever take their place. They will always have a special place in your heart and we will make sure you don't forget them okay?" Francesca nodded.

Ziva leaned forward and gave her a hug. "Now it is time for you to go to sleep." She placed a finger on her nose.

Francesca lay down and Ziva tucked her in. She kissed her forehead. "Good night I love you tateleh."

"Good night I love you too mommy" Ziva smiled and wiped away a tear.

Tony kissed her on her forehead as well. "Good night I love you sweetie."

"Night I love you too daddy." Tony's heart swelled. They turned to look at their daughter once last time before turning off the light.

Tony turned the light off and walked out of the bedroom holding hands and with a huge grin on his face that matched hers.

They walked into their room and Ziva prepared for bed but Tony stopped her. "How about a relaxing bath to calm our nerves. It's been a long day."

"Hmm that sounds amazing." They both headed into the bathroom to prepare their bath.

Tony filled it with bubbles and set the water just right. They stripped their clothes off and got in.

Ziva sat against Tony with her head leaning against his chest. His arms wrapped securely against her waist and then he kissed her on the top of her head. "I love you Ziva. You are the love of my life."

Ziva smiled. Sometimes she wondered what she had done to deserve Tony. "You are the love of my life Tony and I love you very much." Ziva leaned up as she kissed him with so much passion it would burn a hole through the floor. That's how they stayed for the rest of the night wrapped in each other's arms.

**Don´t forget to review guys and have a nice day! **


	9. It's My Birthday!

**[A/N Thank you for all your ideas, reviews, favorites, and follows. It's what keeps the story going. Review and I will keep updating.]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS**

Today was June tenth and that meant that their daughter Francesca was turning six years old. Both Ziva and Tony were very excited because it was the first birthday they were all going to spend with her and they wanted to make it special especially after everything she had been through. They wanted the morning off so they could have a special breakfast with their daughters and thankfully Gibbs had granted it to them because he understood the situation. The night before all the girls spent it making cupcakes so that they she could take them to the preschool and distribute them during lunch time.

"Yom Huledet Same'ach, tateleh!" Ziva walked into Francesca's room and shouted startling Francesca and causing her to jump three feet into the air. Tony walked into the room with a purple icing cupcake that had a six-shaped candle and in his other arm he had her presents. Francesca sat up and smiled big. Ziva put both hands on Francesca's face and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday."

Tony came over to sit on the bed, placed the presents on the bed, and handed Francesca her cupcake. "Make a wish and blow out the candle." Francesca wished that she would never again have to lose parents and then blew out her candle. "Take a bite," Tony encouraged her.

"Yum," she said. "This is the best cupcake I have tasted." Francesca had an icing mustache and a purple tongue. Both Tony and Ziva chuckled. Ziva took a napkin and wiped off Francesca's icing mustache.

She ate half of her cupcake and then placed it on her nightstand. Tony handed her her presents. The first one she opened was a small James Avery box. Francesca took it and opened it. Inside was a necklace with a letter F sterling silver charm. "Like Lila's." Francesca exclaimed.

Tony smiled and nodded. Ziva handed Francesca her next present. It was a legal document. "What is this?" Francesca asked examining the piece of paper.

"It is your adoption certificate. But that is not what we wanted to show you. Keep looking." Ziva smiled wide.

She looked around the document until she found her first name on it. She read on and saw that on it was typed Francesca Ziva DiNozzo. "My name is Francesca Ziva DiNozzo?" She asked surprised.

"We wanted you to have a part of both of us. Do you not like it?" Ziva frowned. Maybe giving her her middle name wasn't such a good idea.

"I love it. I love being Francesca Ziva DiNozzo. It sounds awesome!" She was super excited about her new name. She finally belonged to the DiNozzo family and it felt great. "Thank you I love my presents." She hugged her parents.

"Wait we have one more surprise for you. We are going to decorate your bedroom exactly how you would like." Tony told her.

"Can it be ocean themed?" Francesca asked.

"It can be anything you want." Ziva told her.

Francesca lunged at her parents to hug them. "Thank you mommy and daddy. I love all my presents especially the name." She smiled so big it looked like the joker smile.

The day before Tony had taken Francesca and Lila to get the missing mothers day present that Tony wasn't able to give Ziva at that time. But now that the adoption was complete he could. "Should we give mommy her late mothers day present?" Francesca nodded enthusiastically.

Tony pulled out another little box wrapped beautifully and handed it to Ziva. "What is this?" Ziva took the box and shook it.

"Open it," Tony encouraged her.

Ziva opened the box and found another booty like the one she already had. "Tony, are we having another child?" Ziva asked confused.

Tony laughed. "No, Zi this is Francesca's booty with her adoption date on it." Tony explained to a confused Ziva.

Ziva kissed Tony. "Thank you. I love it"

"How about we go wake Lila up and have some breakfast." Francesca nodded and jumped out of the bed quickly running into Lila's room. Both just laughed and smiled grateful for the wonderful daughter's they had. Thankful, that although they received Francesca under horrible circumstances, they are able to spend her birthday with her.

"Two chocolate pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries coming right up for the birthday girl." Tony announced as he continued to make breakfast for everyone.

"Thank you daddy these look yummy." She licked her lips as Tony placed the pancakes in front of her.

"Happy birthday Cesca!" Lila handed Francesca the birthday card she made. "I made this fo you."

"Thank you Lila." Francesca took the card and looked at it. "It is pretty." She got out of her chair and went to give Lila a hug.

"What did mommy and daddy get you?" Lila asked as she ate her chocolate chip pancakes.

Francesca held out the necklace that she had just gotten. "This necklace like yours."

Lila a little jealous held hers out too. "You no like mine. Mine has L and the star of David like mommies."

"Lila there is no need to get jealous. It is okay if we all have the same thing." Ziva scolded Lila.

"I sorry Cesca." They continued to eat their breakfast.

"So who would you like to invite to the zoo tomorrow?" Tony asked.

"Mia, Beth, and Maggie. Will the team be able to come too?" Francesca asked.

"We are not sure but we will ask them today." Ziva replied. Francesca nodded. "Go get ready so we can take you to daycare."

"Don't forget the cupcakes mommy." Ziva smiled she still wasn't used to Francesca calling her mommy.

When they got to daycare Ms. Addison came to greet them. "Happy birthday Francesca." She handed her a birthday girl pendant for her to wear today.

"Thank you Ms. Addison." Francesca blushed. "Mommy cupcakes." She whispered to Ziva. Ziva handed her the cupcakes and she handed them to the teacher. "My mommy and I made cupcakes."

"Well that's nice of you. Why don't the both of you go join your playmates?" The girls said bye to their parents and headed over to join their friends.

"Do you know when the parents of Beth, Mia, and Maggie pick up their children? I would like to speak with them about them coming to Francesca's party."

"They all usually get picked up around 6." Ms. Addison informed them. They made their way out and headed back for work.

Lila went to go play with Annabelle and Cathy. Francesca went to join Mia at the arts and crafts table. "Happy birthday."

Francesca pulled out the chair next to Mia and sat down. "Thank you."

"So did you get anything?" Mia stopped coloring and turned to face Francesca.

"I got this necklace." She pulled out her necklace. "My adoption certificate I'm officially Francesca Ziva DiNozzo and I get a total room makeover." She said excitedly.

"That's awesome. Cool name by the way." Mia gave her a genuine smile.

"Thank you. So tomorrow do you want to come to my party? We are going to the zoo." Francesca asked Mia as she grabbed a blank piece of paper and started to draw.

"Yea sounds fun." Mia smiled and they returned to coloring.

"Boss," Tony called him.

"Yeah?" Gibbs called seriously.

"Are you going to be able to make it tomorrow with Jen and Kristen?" Tony asked.

"Yes, what time would you like us there?" Gibbs stopped what he was doing and looked up at Tony.

"12 would be perfectly fine boss." Tony responded.

"Okay we will be there." Gibbs got back to his work. Ziva excused herself and went down to see Abby.

"How about you McGee can we count on you?" Tony threw a piece of paper at McGee.

"I don't think so Tony. I don't think Alexandra would be able to handle all that walking. Sorry." He apologized.

Tony frowned. Although he wouldn't ever admit he liked having McGee around. "Francesca will be disappointed."

"Sorry, but we can meet back at your place for cake or whatever." McGee wouldn't admit it either but he too liked hanging out with Tony.

Ziva got out of the elevator and entered Abby labs. Her music was blaring and she was facing away from the door.

"Abby!" Ziva screamed trying to get Abby's attention. Nothing. "Abby!" Ziva screamed again but tapped Abby on the shoulder.

Abby turned off her music and apologized. "What can I do for you Ziva?" Abby asked very cheerfully and with a grin.

"First off will you be able to go to the zoo with us tomorrow?"

"Yes of course I wouldn't miss it." Abby was very energetic.

"Okay well do you think you could make Francesca an ocean themed cake? Like maybe a clown fish or octopus or something?" Ziva made hang gestures as she spoke. Abby just kept staring at Ziva intently and grinning. "What is something on my face?" Ziva started to wipe away her face.

"You're just so adorable when you are in mommy mode." Abby shrieked.

"So can you do it or not?" Ziva asked ignoring Abby's comment.

"No, of course I can. I will make it the best cake ever."

"Thank you Abby." Ziva thanked Abby and turned around to leave.

"Ziva wait," Abby called out.

Ziva stopped and turned around. "Yes Abby?"

"What should I get Francesca for her birthday? What does she like?"

Ziva thought for a moment. "Well right now she has taken a major interest in the ocean maybe something to decorate her room or clothes you can never go wrong with clothes. She did say she wanted some of those littlest pet shops."

"What are you and Tony getting her?" Abby asked.

"We are going to take Francesca to shop for a bedroom and decorations since she doesn't really have one." Ziva answered.

"That'll be so cute and I definitely feel like it'll make her feel part of the family now."

Ziva smiled they finally got Francesca. They couldn't be happier. "I need to go back up before Gibbs comes looking for me."

The following morning Ziva had gotten up early to set up all the decorations in the backyard. She texted Abby to text her when she was here so that they could sneak in the cake. Abby arrived early and they were able to sneak in the cake thanks to everyone still asleep. The cake was gorgeous. It was blue with frosting. The right side said happy birthday Francesca in purple writing. The right corner had a big three-dimensional fondant octopus and below it there were six three dimensional fondant covered clownfish. Each one was supposed to hold a candle. "Abby this is amazing."

"Only the best for my niece." Abby prided herself for a job well done.

"We need to get this cake into the refrigerator before Francesca comes downstairs." Ziva urged Abby.

And just like she had been spying on them Francesca called out. "Mommy!"

"I got it go." Abby urged her upstairs.

Ziva ran upstairs before Francesca came down and caught them with blue handed or was it red handed she thought. Anyways it didn't matter she needed to get upstairs. "What is the matter tateleh?" Ziva asked worried.

"Mommy," Ziva's heart constricted each time Francesca called her mommy. She still hadn't gotten used to it. "I can't find my favorite purple shirt." She frowned.

"Did you check your closet?" Ziva walked over to her closet and checked herself. Francesca nodded. "Your drawers?"

"Yes it's not there." Francesca put her hands over her face and groaned. "I want to wear it to the zoo."

"Okay I will go check the laundry room. Why do you not go wake Lila and help her get ready while I look for it." Ziva compromised with her daughter.

Ziva left to the laundry as Francesca went to her sister's room. When Ziva reached downstairs she found that Abby was cooking them breakfast. "Abby what are you doing?"

"Making breakfast." Abby shrugged her shoulders like it wasn't anything.

"Thank you but you did not have to." Ziva came back from the laundry room holding Francesca's shirt.

"Do I smell bacon?" Tony sniffed as he appeared in the kitchen.

Both Ziva and Abby laughed. Of course Tony would come down at the smell of bacon. "Yes I'm cooking breakfast. Bacon and strawberry pancakes."

Tony licked his lips. "Sounds yummy Abbs."

Ziva took in the sight around her. When had her life become so domesticated? Ziva laughed as she headed upstairs to give the birthday girl her favorite blouse.

After breakfast the guest started to arrive. Maggie, Mia, Beth, Gibbs and his family. They divided into two cars. Tony, Ziva, Francesca, Mia, Lila and Maggie in Tony's car. Abby, Kristin, Jenny, Beth and Gibbs in his car.

They got to the zoo and rounded up all the kids by the cars. They made them all partner up. Kristen went with Lila, Mia with Francesca, Beth and Maggie. Each adult followed behind a pair to keep an eye on them. They head over to buy their tickets and then enter. They got stopped by the entrance photographer and asked to take their picture. They had three different taken. One of the family, the other of Francesca and her three friends, and one of all them. They thanked the gentleman and then headed to their right. Starting with the small aquarium that the zoo contained. They all walked and Francesca immediately ran over to a tank. It contained a medium sized octopus. Francesca got on her tiptoes and leaned against the glass. "Daddy do you know what the difference between arms and tentacle are?"

"No I don't. What is it?" Tony asked curiously.

"Tentacles are covered in suction cups and arms only have it on the front part." Francesca boasted proud of herself for knowing that bit of information.

They continued to walk around the aquarium visiting every possible tank until Ziva suggested they continue to another section of the zoo. If they didn't pull her from the aquarium she could stay there all day watching and they would never get to another part of the zoo.

They continued on their trail stopping at the reptile house only after Kristen begged if they could. The snakes had freaked some of the girls out so Abby and Jenny waited outside with the others who had gotten too scared to go in. They walked by to the anaconda tank and stared at it doing absolutely nothing.

"Does your ninja training include controlling snakes?" Tony asked coming up behind Ziva and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yes so I would be careful if I was you." Ziva spoke some words in Hebrew pretending that she was speaking to the anaconda. The anaconda began to move and Tony jumped back a bit scared.

"How did you do that?" Tony asked scared.

Ziva laughed. It had been pure luck but she didn't want Tony to know that. "Skill and fear."

On the way over to the primates a woman stopped Ziva and LIla. "Your daughter is absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you." Ziva smiled and pulled Francesca a bit back.

"Is that her natural hair color?" The woman asked.

"Yes," Ziva answered through a fake smile and greeted teeth. What she wanted to really tell her was who would be capable of dyeing their kids hair. "Very natural."

"Well it's beautiful. Just don't let the orangutans catch sight of you or they'll want to keep you." The woman waved and said good-bye.

Lila clung closer to her mom's leg. "Mommy?" She cried.

Ziva said some curse words in Hebrew. Who did this woman think she was? "Mommy is true? Will they take me?"

Ziva picked up Lila seeing as she voluntarily wouldn't move and headed to catch up the rest. "No tateleh it is not true." She gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"You sure mommy? I no wan to leave you and daddy and Cesca."

"I am sure and if they do you know I will fight to keep you. If daddy is scared of me a simple orangutan will be too."

At this Lila laughed she knew it to be true. Her mother could be pretty intimidating at times. Everyone always said to never piss Ziva David off.

They caught back with the group and Tony gave her a curious look. Ziva was too pissed off to answer and so Lila stepped in. "Rude lady daddy she say I stay with orangutans."

But even after Lila explained what had happened Tony was still confused. So Ziva promised to explain later. They continued walking through the primates stopping at every cage especially since they were Lila's favorites. Francesca and her friends went to the next one so they could talk away from the adults. "Your adoptive parents seem very nice." Mia commented.

Francesca turned to look at them and smiled. "They are and I love them very much."

"Woah woah hold your horses you're adopted?" Beth asked exaggerating her tone a bit.

"Yeah," Francesca nodded.

"But you look just like your mommy." Maggie said in her sweet little voice.

Francesca smiled at the comment. She loved that people thought she looked like Ziva it made her feel like she really did belong with them.

"Can we go to the lions and tigers?" Beth asked.

"Yeah, after we get through the monkeys. They are Lila's favorites and I want her to enjoy them like I did at the aquarium." Francesca was always looking out for Lila as she had done for her the first couple of days she had come to live with them.

"It's your birthday you should demand what we see not your sister." Beth argued. She was always used to being in charge and hated waiting.

"She's my sister and I don't mind we are all here to enjoy the zoo." Francesca defended her sister once again. Beth huffed and folded her arms in disappointment.

But the adults were not oblivious to the conversation. "Stupid girl," Tony murmured. But both Ziva and Tony were glad that Francesca had defended Lila. They were glad she was feeling like part of the family.

They moved through the primates cages pretty quickly lastly stopping at the orangutans. Lila clung tighter to Ziva at first but after she saw that nothing would happen she let go.

Next they moved on to the elephants stopping by quickly to take a look. "Mom when are we going home I have a paper due." Kristen asked her mom.

"Sweetie can't you do it at your aunt and uncles?" Jenny asked. She was enjoying herself and really didn't want to leave.

"But I need my book so I can write the paper." Kristen whined.

"Why don't you ask Ziva she has many books I'm sure she'll have the book you are looking for?" Kristen nodded and she went over to ask Ziva for the book.

"She has it so I guess I can work on my paper over there." Kristen said.

"Thank you." Jenny placed her hand on Kristen's cheek and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

They continued on walking stopping at the rhinos and learning all about their extinction in the world and what people can do to stop it. "Mommy I thirsty." Lila told her parents.

So they all went to a rest stop and rested for a while with a juice box for the kids. All the kids sat at one table and the adults sat at the one next to it. Beth for some reason had something against Lila and ran to take the last spot leaving Lila excluded from the group. Francesca saw this and got up to stop Lila from leaving. She took her hand. "Come sit with me." She pulled her back to the table and had her sit on her lap.

"Thank you Cesca." Lila give Francesca a big sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"So, how did the chipmunk spend her birthday yesterday?" Gibbs asked.

"Good we asked her whether she wanted to get a head start on buying her room decorations or dinner. She chose decorations. Which reminds me she was wondering if you could build her a miniature boat for her room?"

Gibbs nodded. "She's taken a love for the ocean." Tony shrugged.

"We could tell from when she went to the aquarium." Jenny added.

"Apparently her mom was a marine biologist and studied the ocean and it's species." Ziva commented.

"That would make sense." Jenny replied.

Tony looked at his watch. "If you'll excuse me I need to go plan out the rest of the visit so we can make it back for cake." Tony got up from the table and went to the girl's table.

"Daddy!" Lila exclaimed.

Tony picked her up and carried her. "So pretty ladies we can go to four more exhibits before we have to head back. So what will they be?"

"Lions!" Beth spoke up.

"Giraffes!" Mia spoke up.

Maggie didn't seem to be saying anything. "What about you Maggie what do you want?"

"The leopards and panthers." She said shyly.

"It's settled. You guys ready?"

"Yeah!" They all exclaimed.

They all continued to walk to the lion exhibit. Since it was fairly empty for a Saturday they were able to get up to the glass no problem. Most of the lions were laying in the shade asleep. But the male lion got up and roared. "Woah!" All the girls exclaimed.

Lila left Francesca's side and approached her mom. She pulled on her pant leg to get her attention. "Mommy everyone say people scared of you. Would a lion be scared too?"

Tony couldn't help but bust out laughing at Lila's question. "I would hope so. I would not want to lose to a lion." Ziva told her daughter. She seemed contempt with that answer and nodded.

Gibbs smirked and Jenny hid her laugh. "I need to have a serious conversation with Abby." Ziva told them. The rest just continued to laugh more. She glared at them and they stopped. "I am serious. I cannot have my daughters think I am a scary person."

Tony walked closer to Ziva and put an arm around her shoulders. "I think it's a good thing. That teaches our daughters to be strong and independent. Not damsels in distress." Tony kissed her temple and Ziva seemed to relax. "But honestly one ninja punch and the lion will be serving you." Everyone bust out laughing even Ziva.

"Lions are really cool huh?" Beth asked. She loved lions because they were mighty and the kings of the jungle. Just like she tried to be at preschool.

"Everyone ready to go to the panthers?" Gibbs asked. The girls just nodded. They all seemed to be afraid of him. But Francesca and Lila knew better. Gibbs was the best grandpa in the world.

The girls went with their buddy and headed to the panthers. There they observed a while. Then they moved to the next section of the bears. But unfortunately they had been moved for reconstruction and weren't available to the public. So they skipped it and went on to the giraffes.

Luckily for them a zoo keeper was there informing the public all about giraffes and how to care for them. After her lecture she gave each person a leaf so that they could walk up and feed the giraffe.

Each went one by one to feed a giraffe. When Francesca went up to feed the giraffe it licked all over her hand. "Eww it licked me." She laughed.

Ziva took out a wipe from her pocket and wiped off her hand. After they had all had their share of the giraffes thy headed to exit to pick up their photos. They ended up buying all three.

On the way back Tony rang McGee to tell them to meet up at the house for cake. The girls were very tired from the entire running around and feel asleep almost immediately. "Once everyone leaves I want to start setting up Francesca's room." Ziva said excitedly.

"Why don't we start tomorrow?" Tony asked tiredly. "I'm going to be exhausted."

"We can at least paint it so that it will be ready tomorrow to hang it up?" Ziva compromised.

"Okay that I can handle." Ziva smiled and took his hand. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They made it back to the house and everyone was already there waiting. McGee and Alexandra approached Francesca. "Happy Birthday," they both told her. McGee handed her her presents and gave her a hug.

Alexandra gave her a hug the best she could with her bulging belly in the way. "Thank you uncle Tim. Thank you aunt Alexandra." The girls were sent to the playroom while the rest relaxed a bit before the whole commotion of cake started.

Ziva and Abby were in the kitchen getting everything situated. Abby had brought over ocean themed napkins and plates. Francesca came into the kitchen looking for something. Abby stood in front of the cake so that she couldn't see it. "Mommy, when are we going to eat the cake?"

Abby started hyperventilating behind Ziva. She was excited to hear Francesca call Ziva mommy once again. "In a few minutes. Go back upstairs and I will call you down, yes?"

"Okay," and she skipped back upstairs.

Ziva turned around to face a hyperventilating Abby. "She… and… oh my god!" Abby squealed.

"Abby breath. Take a deep breath." Abby took a breath to calm herself down. "That is it take a few more."

Once Abby had settled down she spoke again. "She has called you mommy at least five times today. Does that mean she´s calling you that officially now?"

Ziva smiled big and nodded. "Yeah Tony and I had a talk with her yesterday. It seemed like she wanted to start calling us that for a while but she was afraid she was making her parents sad."

"Well I´m happy for you guys." Abby squealed.

"Okay lets get this cake ready before more hungry kids come down and ask us for some." Abby grabbed the cake and took it to the backyard. Ziva came back with the plates, napkins, and forks. She went to collect all the adults and kids for cake time.

Ziva made Francesca wait inside where she couldn't see the outside. She covered her eyes and led her to her surprise. She let go of her eyes and Francesca gasped. "Is this all for me?"

Her parents nodded. She went over and hugged them. "Thank you it all is really amazing. Especially the cake."

"Thank your aunt Abby for the cake." Ziva told her.

Francesca walked over and thanked Abby. They all sang happy birthday and cut the cake. After eating the cake they all stayed in the backyard. The adults sat and talked and the kids went off to play. Kristen went to the office to finish up her paper. Shortly after the parents of the kids started to arrive.

By six everyone was gone and the house was left a disaster. "We can clean tomorrow." Tony suggested.

They went upstairs and started moving Francesca's furniture from the walls. They placed plastic on the floors and taped the bottom and the sides. Ziva started painting the walls light blue and Tony started painting the wall directly in front of the door the black chalk paint.

Ziva put down the paintbrush and looked around the room. "It looks awesome. But maybe we could have Gibbs paint us an octopus right there make it look like it is trying to escape from the window."

"That would look really cool. You know who could have painted a really cool octopus or anything for that matter." Ziva shook her head. "Kate. She was an amazing sketch artist." Tony frowned.

Ziva came up behind him and put her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his back. "You still miss her yes?"

Tony nodded. "She was a great partner. Of course not better than you but a great partner none the less." They just stood there staring at the work they had done.

Francesca walked in and smiled she absolutely loved it. The colors were amazing. "Pretty!" She called out.

Her parents turned and smiled. "You like it?" She nodded. "What would you think of painting a big octopus along the edge of that wall?" He pointed to the left side of the window. "That way it looks like it's trying to escape from the room."

"Yeah!" She stared at the black wall. "Why is that one black?" She pointed to the black wall.

"That is chalk paint. You can use chalk to draw or write whatever you want." Tony explained.

"Cool! Could grandpa Gibbs paint a seahorse at the top of it with some air bubbles?" Francesca asked.

"We need to ask him but I don't see why not." Tony said. "Do you want to call him and ask him now so he can come over tomorrow?"

She nodded. Tony dialed and handed the phone Francesca the phone. "Grandpa Gibbs? Hi!"

She waited for Gibbs to respond. "Grandpa mommy and daddy just painted my room and we had awesome ideas. I was wondering if you could paint an octopus and seahorse for me?"

"Yeah thank you. See you tomorrow." She smiled.

"What did your grandpa say tateleh?" Ziva asked.

"He said that once Kristen finishes his paper tomorrow they will come over. He say that she paints better than him and she will do it for me."

"That is nice of her." Ziva said. They closed up the paint buckets and went out of the room to let it dry. "Bath time," Ziva announced as she walked into Lila's room.

Tony went downstairs to cook dinner. He was going to make his famous spaghetti a la Bolognese.

Her room was painted a turquoise blue and was decorated with flowers and monkeys.

The girls followed Ziva into the bathroom. During bath time Francesca talked about all the fun she had at the zoo. "Mommy Mia told me that she just joined a ballet class and I was wondering if Lila and I could go."

"Let me talk to your father and then we will go check it out and see, yes?"

Francesca nodded. "Yeah mommy I want to take ballet." Lila added in.

"Okay I will speak with your father." She repeated.

She finished up bath time and then they went down to dinner. "Daddy can Cesca and I go to ballet?"

"Lila I said I would speak with your father."

"But mommy I weally want to go." Lila whined.

"Your mother and I will go check it out during the week."

Both girls nodded. The rest of dinner was small talk on how to place everything in Francesca's room. She was getting very excited to see the finished product.

After dinner both took the girls upstairs and got them ready for bed. Francesca was going to sleep with Lila tonight because of the paint fumes. They laid them in bed read them a story and kissed them good night.

"Thank you both for everything. I had lots of fun tonight." She gave them a big hug and wished them good night.

"Layla tov," Ziva said and blew them a kiss.

The following day Gibbs and Kristen arrived bright and early. Jenny didn't join them because she had some director stuff to attend to.

Tony took them to the room and explained to them exactly what it was that Francesca wanted. Meanwhile Tony started to put up the shelves and mirror. Once the shelves were up and the mirror as well Tony proceeded to hang up all the decorations. Gibbs had brought over the boat that Francesca had wanted. He placed it on the shelf along with the picture of her and her parents. Some other knickknack she had and a picture of all of them as well. Then on the other shelf he started to organize all the books she had.

The end product was amazing. Both Kristen and Gibbs had done an amazing job. Francesca was in love with her new room. Kristen had even added a border around the wall to make it look like an actual chalkboard it was amazing.

Tony cellphone buzzed. He checked it and had a text message from Jenny. He opened. _I need you at NCIS ASAP. _

Tony leaned over and whispered into Ziva's ear. "Jenny needs me at work." He kissed her cheek. "I won't be long I promise."

"Hurry back." She said and released his hold. He slipped out of the room and headed over to NCIS.

Being Sunday Tony suspected the building to be fairly empty. He went through security and took the elevator up to the squad room. So that he could go up to the director's office. He reached the directors office but Cynthia wasn't there so he showed himself in.

"Director you wanted to see me?" Tony asked. The chair flipped around from where it was facing the window. "You're not the director."


	10. 24 Hour Bug

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS**

Being Sunday Tony suspected the building to be fairly empty. He went through security and took the elevator up to the squad room. So that he could go up to the director's office. He reached the directors office but Cynthia wasn't there so he showed himself in.

"Director you wanted to see me?" Tony asked. The chair flipped around from where it was facing the window. "You're not the director." He said surprised to find her instead of the director in the chair. But he should have known it would be here. Gibbs would have told him if his wife was at work.

"I'm not." The woman got out of the chair, pushing it fiercely behind her; she walked over slowly towards Tony who stood stunned. Walking slowly over to him, Tony stood stunned not knowing what to do, when she approached him she placed a hand on his shoulder another hand on his cheek.

"Well have you seen the director? She said it was an emergency." Tony asked still hopeful that it had been director who had texted him and not her. But as Megan brushed herself against his body, he was starting to think that the director hadn't texted him at all. Immediately after coming to his realization, he pushed Megan off of before she got him into something he would later regret explaining.

"It was I who texted you the emergency. I just really wanted to see you is all." She grabbed Tony by the neck and rubbed her body against him, breathing seductively in his ear, and placing her lips closely to his as she tired to brush them against him.

But Tony was quick to react he no longer was mesmerized by any other woman but his wife. If it had been her that was there then Tony would have been dumbstruck unable to think correctly, but seeing as it wasn't he quickly pulled the woman off him. Bruising her wrists in the process but Tony didn't care. "I'm happily married. Get that through your thick skull and leave me alone." He yelled as he stormed out of the director's office and headed home to be with his wife.

"You will pay for this." She yelled crazed, but Tony was already out of the sight. Agitated she screamed and slammed the door.

On the way home, he was distracted debating whether or not he should tell Ziva about what had happened. Weighing his option, he knew that if he told her she was sure to kill Megan but if he didn't and she found out she would kill them both. He decided that it would be best to just tell her now. After all, he hadn't done anything wrong. He had handled it professionally and gotten out of there before anything could have happened, as if he would have allowed it. He took a deep breath, trying to build up the courage with which to tell Ziva.

As rounded the last corner and pulled up the driveway he became extremely nervous. He parked the car but he didn't turn off the engine immediately, he just sat there building up the courage to go in there and tell his wife something he knew would enrage her. But it needed to be done. With one last breath, he turned the car off and made his way into the house.

He walked into the house and was greeted by silence. No sounds where coming from anywhere, for a moment he thought that maybe they had gone somewhere but he checked through the kitchen window and noticed Ziva's car. Finding it strange to not hear any noise, especially a house with two girls, he went room by room looking for them. As he reached the top of the stairs he heard laughter escape from Francesca's room he decided that would be his best bet and made his way to her room. When he opened the door he was greeted by three gorgeous faces, sipping tea, and eating finger food, two of them were dressed in princess dresses and jewelry. "Daddy!" both girls exclaimed once they made their dad out. Ziva turned to face in the direction that Tony had walked in and sent him a smile.

"Hey girls," Tony bent down, to hug both of his daughters. The hug was just what he needed before he needed to go speak with Ziva. "Your room looks great Francesca." He told her as he looked around the room, inspecting the work that Gibbs and his daughter had done.

"Thank you daddy, let me show you around." Both Francesca and Lila got out of the hug. Francesca grabbed her father's arm tugging him towards the art pieces that they had done.

Tony took Francesca's hand that hold on his forearm, and gave it a kiss. "Let me say hi to mommy first." Tony walked over to Ziva, gave her a much-needed kiss, and then placed his lips to her ear whispering, "We need to talk."

Ziva nodded. "Girls why do you not continue playing and daddy and I will be right back, yes?" The girls nodded and went back to playing. Ziva stretched out her hand so that Tony could help her up, he did and they headed towards their bedroom sot that they could speak in private. "What is it that you need to tell me?"

Tony took a deep breath before speaking, placing his hands on her forearms he spoke. "Just promise you won't over react." He knew saying that would only make matters worse, but he needed her to promise not to overreact because knowing her she would.

Ziva glared at him, already fearing the worst was about to come out of his mouth. "Tony?"

"Just promise me." He needed her to promise. Although, he knew it would be a wasted promise because it wouldn't stop her from breaking him when she found out.

"Okay so you know how supposedly the director texted me that she needed me?" Ziva nodded. "Well when I got there Megan was waiting for me." Tony stopped for a moment, taking a breath before continuing on. It was now or never he thought. "Well she kind of threw herself at me but I pushed her and walked out telling her I was happily married and she needed to get that through her thick skull and leave me alone. Nothing happened, I promise, but I didn't want you find out from her and she possibly turn it into something it was not." Tony said immediately looking into Ziva's eyes for a reaction, to see what it was she thinking, if she was getting ready to break him. But he relaxed a bit when all he saw was love and compassion.

Ziva stayed quiet, not sure what to respond to that. "Nothing happened?" She questioned, she believed him. She would always believe him and she knew that Tony wasn't capable of cheating on her. But she needed to hear it again, the words nothing happened to calm her worries. If nothing had happened she wouldn't be mad at him, she couldn't be mad at him, but she would be mad at the intern and would make her pay.

"Nothing happened." Tony repeated, honesty and sincerity written all over his eyes.

"Then okay. Thank you for telling me." Ziva looked at him and then pulled him in for a kiss. She needed to feel him close, ensure that he was hers and no one else's. She needed to state her claim on him.

At work the following day Ziva had been pushing her self-control by trying to avoid Megan, the intern, all morning because if she caught sight of her she would do something neither Gibbs nor Tony would approve of and she didn't want Gibbs pissed at her.

Tony on the other hand wouldn't have minded Ziva knock some sense into the woman. He was getting agitated and fast. When he got to work that morning, he found a note on his desk reading 'you will be mine, love your dirty mistress'. Knowing who it was from Ziva had given a verbal threat to kill her if she saw her and therefore she had been avoiding running into her.

"Well I hope for her sake she doesn't." Tony chuckled, giving Ziva a kiss before parting to their desks.

But before they could sit down and get comfortable Gibbs walked in "grab your gear, body found at a local park. They arrived at the crime scene Gibbs immediately ordered Ziva to take pictures, Tony bag and tag, and McGee to take statements from the those who had called it in.

Ziva had only been there for five minutes, taking pictures of the body, when the smell started to affect her. Normally, the smell had never bothered her, she was used to it but now she hadn't known what had come over her. She took deep breath and continued to take pictures but when a wave of nausea hit, she stopped what she was doing and ran towards the trees. Everything came rushing up, she spilled it out in front of her and when she was done she stood catching her breath. She felt a gentle hand on her should and turned to look in the direction of where the hand was. "You okay? Tony asked worried sketched all over his face.

"Yes, I do not know what happened. One minute I am fine and the next I could not handle the smell." Ziva explained, confused as well with what had happened.

"Give me the camera. I'll finis taking pictures and I want you to go rest in the truck." Tony stretched out his hand so that Ziva could hand him the camera and head to the truck.

Ziva was about to protest like she always did but another wave of nausea hit her causing her to bend over and spill whatever few contents she had left. Instantly Tony's hand was on her back, rubbing it gently, trying to provide some form of comfort. When she finished Tony pointed to the truck. "Now will you please listen to me?"

Ziva nodded, headed to the NCIS truck to sit, resting her head between her legs willing the nausea to go away. Tony headed back to the crime scene to finish Ziva's job so that Gibbs wouldn't notice that she was gone because he wanted her to be able to rest. While Ziva sat in the truck, head between her legs, legs tucked up to her body, her phone rang. She looked around for it never lifting her head from her legs, and answered it. "Agent DiNozzo," she mumbled, lifting her head enough so that she could speak without mumbling.

"Hello Agent DiNozzo, this is Ms. Addison. I'm calling to inform you that Francesca has become ill and because she has been vomiting I am afraid she needs to be sent home. Will you be able to come pick her up?"

"Yes certainly, I am on my way thank you." Ziva ended the call, took a deep breath willing the nausea away and then went over to find Gibbs. "Gibbs the preschool called and I need to pick Francesca up because apparently she is very sick."

Gibbs nodded. "That's fine Ziver." He took his keys out of his pocket and handed them to her. "But I need you back at the office so this time you can bring her back with you." He wasn't trying to be insensitive but he did need her working the case, if it was even sitting at her desk, looking stuff up. That way she could tend to Francesca and work at the same time.

"Thank you Gibbs. Can you let Tony know where I've gone off to?" He nodded, promising to do as she had asked.

She gave him a grateful smile, headed for the car, and drove off towards her destination. In no time she arrived at the daycare, she went straight to the front desk and then was taken to the nurse's office. Francesca was already in there, lying in the bed, in the fetal position clutching on her stomach sobbing quietly from the pain. Ziva walked over, sat down on the corner of the bed that wasn't occupied by Francesca and gently ran a hand through her hair, letting her know that she was there. "What is wrong tateleh?"

Francesca turned to face her mother. She immediately knew it was her from her accent and the term of endearment that she had used. "My tummy hurt mommy." She said softly, the pain was too much that she could barely speak; she got up slightly and leaned against her mother's body wanting to be held.

Ziva wrapped an arm around her and felt her forehead. She didn't seem to have a fever, which was good. But she looked to be in a lot of pain. "How long have you felt sick, motek?"

"A little after you left." She snuggled her head into her mother's chest. Just wanting to be cuddled by her mother and go home.

"Why did no one call me sooner?" Ziva asked furiously to the nurse. It was not possible that they would have allowed a child to feel this sick for that long and not have called the parents.

"Agent DiNozzo. We tried both you and your husbands phone but they were out of service. We even called your desk phone." The nurse replied nervously. She was honestly scared of the woman and didn't want any reason for her to be mad at her.

Ziva looked towards the nurse apologetically. She had immediately jumped to conclusions and it hadn't even been the nurse's fault. "I am sorry. We were out on the field. But regardless can I take her home?" When the nurse nodded, Ziva didn't even bother to ask Francesca if she felt like walking. She just picked her up and carried her back towards the front desk. The nurse waited and held the door open for them. "I also need to take Lila home." Ziva said as she walked back to the front desk.

"Give me one second, while I phone Ms. Addison to get her ready." The receptionist said as she picked up the phone and dialed Ms. Addison's room.

A few minutes later Lila came running in, with her backpack bouncing up and down each time she took a step. "Ima," she ran over to Ziva and hugged her. "Cesca no feel good." She informed her mother.

She leaned down the best she could with Francesca in her arms and kissed Lila on the forehead. "I know tateleh, that is why I came to pick you up."

"We go to wok wif you?" Ziva nodded, taking Lila's hand, and heading towards the car.

Ziva buckled Lila into the seat and then attempted to get Francesca into hers but as she placed her on the seat, she just clung tighter to her mother's shirt. "Tateleh, can you please sit here?" Francesca shook her head. She didn't feel good and didn't want to let go of her mother. Ziva tried once again but she just wouldn't let go. "Francesca, please, sweetie I need you to cooperate with me so I can drive us to see Ducky and have him check you." That seem to work and Francesca released her hold on her and cuddled up to the seat, clutching her stomach from the pain.

On the way back to NCIS, Ziva was trying to drive carefully because she had the girls in the car but each time she looked in the rearview mirror, Francesca seemed to be getting worse and Ziva would drive a bit faster.

It didn't take Ziva long to get back to NCIS. On arrival she got the girls out of the car, taking Lila by the hand and carrying Francesca, went to drop Lila with McGee and headed down to autopsy to see Ducky.

They got down to autopsy and Ducky did a check up the best he could with the limited supplies he had. "Ziva dear it looks like she has a twenty four hour bug. Just make sure she rests and gets lots of fluids."

"Thank you Ducky." Ziva picked Francesca up, who immediately snuggled into her mother's arms, and headed back to the squad room to start on the work Gibbs needed her to do. When she got back to the squad room, Ziva noticed that McGee had sent Lila down to Abby's lab, because she was getting a bit rowdy. She just laughed at McGee heading to her desk, pulled out a blanket she kept for when they had to sleep at the office, cuddled Francesca on her lap, rubbing it ever so often when she would groan in pain, and started on her work so that she could leave and take her daughters home.

Finally lunchtime had come around, although it was Ziva's turn to treat everyone for lunch, McGee offered to go instead, seeing as she was occupied and Tony had still not come back on the errand Gibbs had sent him on. As Tim was going to enter Tony exited, heading straight to Ziva's desk to see how Francesca was doing. "How is she feeling?" He asked as he looked down to look at Francesca, who was fast asleep in Ziva's arms.

"She managed to fall asleep so I assume she is feeling a bit better." Ziva replied, looking down at her sleep daughter and gently moving a piece of hair that covered her beautiful face.

Remembering that she too had been sick, Tony returned his gaze to Ziva. "How are you feeling by the way?"

"I am fine." Ziva replied in her usual manner, but honestly she felt fine now.

"If you feel sick again let me know, okay? You both might have the same thing." Tony was worried for both his girls. He just hoped that neither he nor Lila caught what they had. He didn't know if he could handle taking care of three sick girls at once.

"Okay," Ziva replied. Shortly after, McGee walked back into the squad room with healthy wraps for everyone and a soup for Francesca, since her stomach couldn't keep anything down right now. Seeing the hour it was, Ziva knew that Francesca needed to eat something but she felt bad about waking her up. She had finally been able to get some rest. Meanwhile, Tony headed down to Abby's lab to get Lila and bring her up to eat.

Ziva had managed to get Francesca to eat at least a couple of bites of her soup and was now starting on her wrap, but she was only able to get through a couple of bites before she started to feel nauseous once again. Trying to make it to the restroom, she almost dropped the soup and Francesca on the floor. But thankfully she had been able to make it just in time before dumping the contents of her stomach.

Tony witnessing the whole thing took off running after Ziva. He pulled her hair back, rubbing her circles on her back to try and make the process a whole lot better. Once she was done vomiting she slide to the floor resting her head against the wall. But Tony picked her up and placed her on his lap so that she would be more comfortable. "Thank you."

"Do still feel nauseas?" Tony asked, worried for his wife. Ziva nodded her head, as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Taking advantage that Ziva placed her head near his neck; Tony placed a hand on her forehead, checking to see if she had a temperature. "Zi, you're burning up. I'm taking you and Francesca home now. I don't care that Gibbs wants you working the case. You both need to go home."

"Tony I am fine." Ziva reassured. She couldn't afford to be sick. Francesca needed her to be fine so she could take care of her.

"Ziva you're vomiting and have a fever. That means you aren't fine and Francesca is definitely not fine. The both of you need to rest and I am going to make sure that you do." Ziva nodded and got up slowly with the help of Tony. She really was feeling worse and didn't feel like arguing with Tony.

Both walked out of the bathroom, Tony had an arm around Ziva's waist as she leaned into him for support, as Gibbs stared at the both of them. Tony was about to walk over to Gibbs and tell him he needed to take Ziva and the girls home but Gibbs beat him to it. "DiNozzo take your family home and tend to them."

"Yes boss." A smile crept into Ziva's lips, Tony, tend to all of them, she thought. That would be very funny to watch. Tony went to his desk as Ziva walked over to hers, each gathering their stuff and their daughters to go home and get some much needed rest. As Ziva picked Francesca up, her hands brushed over her burning body. She too had a fever.

"Tony she has a fever." Ziva said worriedly. "We need to get her home."

Tony walked over to Ziva's desk, picked up a pale Francesca, who automatically curled up into her dad's embrace. All of a sudden, the room had started to spin, she became overwhelmed with nausea and the repeated stomach pain had increased. "I no feel good daddy." She cried into her father's chest.

"I know sweetie, we're going home soon." Tony noticing the same look Ziva had just moments before he called out to Ziva, "Zi, the trash can." She ran over to grab her trash can and held it up to Francesca, so she could let out the contents of her stomach.

"Mommy!" she cried, hating the feeling of throwing up.

"You are okay, tateleh." Ziva rubbed her back gently, trying to provide some sort of comfort. She knew how horrible it felt to throw up.

"Mommy," she held out her arms, signaling that she wanted to go to her mother.

Tony pulled Francesca back into his embrace. "Mommy doesn't feel well either pumpkin, so daddy's going to carry you." Tony said, as he grabbed his backpack to head out. "Lila, take mommy's hand." Lila did, Ziva grabbed her backpack and they headed down to the car.

"I'll ride in the back with her." Ziva said as she took Francesca from Tony, already knowing that she wouldn't want to sit in her car seat feeling like this.

"Honey, you're sick too. She can manage a car ride." Tony argued. He knew Ziva played off her illnesses and if he didn't push her she would keep working herself until she landed herself in the hospital.

"Tony I am fine. Plus she's actually sick and if it makes her feel better by cuddling with me then I have no problem." Ziva went up to give Tony a kiss on the cheek and then slyly removed Francesca from his arms.

The car ride had been going well, Ziva hadn't feel nauseous again and it seemed that Francesca's pain was starting to subside. But that was long gone when halfway home Ziva started to feel nauseous once again and Francesca seemed like she was too. "Tony, stop the car!" Ziva screamed.

"What?" Tony asked confused.

"Pull over!" As soon as Tony did Ziva jumped out with Francesca in her arms. They both threw up once again. Francesca cried but Ziva couldn't do anything to comfort her, seeing that she was in the same position herself. Ziva had jumped out of the car too quickly, that Tony had barely any time to react. Before he knew it they were both back in the car. "Tony, drive a little faster please." Tony drove as fast he could without breaking too many limit laws.

Lila worried for both her mom and sister put her hand on her moms arm. "Mommy you nd Cesca okay?" She asked already tearing up. Ziva didn't respond because if she did she would vomit and she really just wanted to get home.

Tony noticed and stepped in. "Mommy and Cesca's tummies aren't feeling to well. But they are okay." Once home, Tony ordered Francesca and Ziva to bed. They put on some comfy clothes and then cuddled in Ziva's bed as they waited for Tony to check their temperatures. It seemed that both were still running a fever, so he gave Ziva Tylenol and Francesca child's Tylenol, which had made them sleepy.

After making them some chicken noddle soup, with which Lila had offered her assistance and Tony had gratefully accepted, Tony went back upstairs to check on them. "Lila we have to be very quiet mommy and Cesca are sleeping okay?"

Ziva was fast asleep when another wave of nausea hit her. She jumped out of bed, forgetting that Francesca was in the bed with her, and ran to the bathroom. This woke Francesca up who heard noises coming from the bathroom, she went to investigate and found her mother in there, hunched over the toilet. Just like she had comforted she did the same for her mom. She grabbed her mom's hair the best she could and rubbed her back. Ziva was too busy with what she was doing to notice who it was. "You feel better mommy?" Francesca asked.

"Yes thank you tateleh. That was very sweet of you." Ziva leaned against the tub and brought Francesca to lean against her side. "How are you feeling?"

"My tummy still hurt a little and my body achy." She was starting to feel better but she still wasn't a hundred percent.

"Let us go back to bed." They both got up from the bathroom floor and made their way back into the bed.

Tony walked in the room with Lila carrying a tray with two bowls of soups. "How are my two favorite patients doing?"

Lila walked in and immediately jumped onto the bed. "Pumpkin, be careful your mom and sister don't feel well." Tony handed them their soups just as the doorbell rang. "Make sure they eat their soup." He ordered Lila, pointing at Ziva and Francesca, making his way downstairs.

Standing before him was none other than Megan Olsen. As soon as he opened the door she leaned up really close to him. "Hey sexy. I missed you at work today."

Tony grabbed her by the arm forcefully and pulled her off their front porch. "What are you doing here? Better question how did you get my address?" He asked angrily.

"I got it off the database and I came because I wanted to see you." She tried to get up close and run her hand seductively through his body. "You need to get out of here and leave me alone. I'm married and I love my wife very much. So, get out of here and never come back." Tony pushed her into her car. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this. He had already told her many times to leave him alone but she just wouldn't listen. It was time that he took some course of action to get her to understand once and for all.

Tony headed back towards the house pulling out his cellphone as he dialed McGee's number. "McGee, I need you to do me a favor. I need you to keep an eye on the intern for me. I don't need her coming by my house anymore."

"Thank you McGee." He slammed his phone shut and headed back upstairs to check on his wife and daughters.

He walked back into the room to find all three curled up in the bed and two empty bowls sitting on the nightstand. "How are my lovely ladies doing?" He asked them with a smile.

"We are doing a bit better." Ziva replied.

"Are you well enough to go to the couch and watch a movie?" Tony asked. He had an overwhelming urge to curl up on the couch and watch a movie with his family.

Ziva nodded. Tony went over to pick up Francesca who still looked very sick and headed down to the couch. Francesca wanted her mom close, so she curled up with Ziva while Tony put in the film. He chose Francesca's favorite movie in hopes that it would cheer her up. But it seemed that she wasn't getting any better and her temperature wasn't going down either. Ziva placed a hand on her very hot forehead. "Tony can you go get me the thermometer?"

Tony went to get the thermometer and brought it back. "She still has a fever. Can you bring me the child's Tylenol?" She asked Tony.

Once the movie was over all but Tony were asleep. He first carried Lila to her room, tucking her in and heading back down to wake Ziva. "Zi honey, lets get to bed." Tony took Francesca out of her arms, and helped her sit up. "I'm going to take Francesca to her room and then I will meet you in you in bed."

"No Tony, I want her in our bed so that I can keep an eye on her throughout the night." They headed up to their room and got in bed, ready for the long ahead of them.

**I am really sorry for this forever long update. I hope you liked it. Don't forget to review. **


	11. ER

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS**

Nobody had gotten any sleep. Francesca's fever had not gone down and was constantly vomiting. The pain in her stomach had not subsided either and she was unable to get any rest. Finally, around one in the morning Ziva couldn't take seeing Francesca suffer anymore. "Tony," Ziva tired to shake Tony awake, who was the only one who seemed to get in a couple of minutes of sleep here and there. He mumbled, running a hand through his face to try and wake up. "I think we should take her to the E.R." She ran a hand a through Francesca's hair, feeling the warmth radiate form her body. "She is not getting any better and I do not want to see her suffering anymore."

Tony nodded and got out of bed to throw on some jeans and a sweatshirt. Ziva had also tried to get out of bed to throw on some clothes but Francesca was very clingy. Tony came over taking Ziva's place just enough so that she could change. They exchanged places once again as Tony went to get some sweaters and socks for the girls and Lila. Ziva headed to the car, got in the back, cradling Francesca in her arms and rubbing her back gently. Ziva wished that she could take her pain away. "My tummy hurts, mommy." She cried hiding her face in her mother's chest.

"I know, tateleh." But we are taking you to the hospital so that you can feel better." Ziva placed one hand on Francesca's stomach and began to rub it gently hoping to ease some of her pain.

Tony finally came out of the house with Lila, buckled her into her car seat and handed Ziva Francesca's sweater. He then got in the car and drove off towards the hospital.

When they showed up Ziva went to sit with both the girls while Tony went to the front desk. The receptionist handed Tony a clipboard of papers to fill out and with a sigh he went to sit down. He answered the questions to the best of his knowledge; seeing as she was adopted they knew nothing about her medical history. Once he had filled it out the receptionist called them in but since Lila could not go in Tony stayed with her because Francesca did not want to let go of her mom. Ziva headed in with Francesca and lied down with her on the bed.

The doctor came in, a woman who looked like she was in her early twenties, she was petite, and had a bubbly personality even though it was around one clock in the morning. "Hi, how is Ms." She picked up the chart. "Francesca doing?" She sent Francesca a reassuring smile but she just hid her face in her mother's body.

"She is not so well. She has been vomiting, her fever has not gone down and she has stomach pains." Ziva informed the doctor, she nodded jotting down notes as Ziva spoke.

"Alright, well first we will get an IV started because she's a bit dehydrated and then I will draw some blood so that we can run tests and figure out with is wrong." Ziva nodded. "Okay well I will be right back to start her IV."

Before the doctor walked out Ziva stopped. "My husband and other daughter are in the E.R. waiting room. Is there any chance that they are allowed in?" She had a feeling they were going to be long and Ziva wanted Tony by her side.

"Children aren't allowed but I will see what I can do, okay?" The doctor gave her a cheerful smile.

"Thank you." Ziva returned the smile and then turned her gaze to her daughter whom looked miserable. Ziva sent Tony a quick text, _the doctor said she is going to try to sneak you into the room. _

Immediately her phone vibrated signaling that Tony had replied. _I just called Abby she is on her way to pick Lila up. _

Ziva, glad that Tony had thought about that option returned a text. _Okay, just come to room 201 once Abby has picked her up. _

The doctor walked back in with Francesca's IV bag and what looked like tubes to withdraw blood. "I am going to go send one of my interns to escort your husband and daughter into the room. What is his name?"

"Tony DiNozzo, but our coworker is on her way to pick up my daughter. He will be allowed in still, yes?"

"Yes of course. It is only children that we do not allow in." The doctor responded as she placed the IV bag. "Okay I need to insert this needle into her hand. So, can you keep her still?"

Ziva held Isabella as the doctor went in with the needle. She flinched and let out a small whimper as it penetrated the skin. Ziva just rubbed her back and whispered soft terms of endearments into her ear. The worst was now over and the doctor taped the needle in place so that it would not move.

"You did an amazing job Francesca." The doctor praised her but she was in too much pain to acknowledge what the doctor had told her.

Once she had finished setting the IV bag she proceeded to withdraw the blood she again asked Ziva to keep Francesca still but this time there was no needle. It would be taken straight out of the IV. As Ziva watched once again she was overwhelmed with a wave of nausea. She tired to keep it in, taking deep breaths, but she just couldn't it had been too much. She leaned over the bed and emptied the contents of her stomach not caring that she had gotten it all over the floor. The doctor looked up from what she was doing and looked over in Ziva's direction as soon as she heard the all too familiar sound of retching. "Have you been sick as well?" The doctor asked.

Ziva was about to say her usual I am fine when Francesca nodded her head. The doctor glared at her waiting for further elaboration, Ziva sighed, she hated people fusing over her especially when she was sick. She hated being sick it made her feel weak. "It has been on and off. I get nauseous at times but then it subsides. I have also been having some headaches. But it could all well be from stress." She commented. Work had been very stressful lately and maybe that is what was causing her symptoms.

"Well I still want to take some blood and run some tests so that we can be sure." Ziva nodded. She wasn't about to argue with a doctor because she knew it would be pointless. Once she finished taking about a pint of blood from Francesca she proceeded with Ziva.

Francesca looked up to her mom. The medicine was finally kicking in numbing the pain almost completely away. "Do you want me to hold your hand mommy?" Francesca knew that it hurt and wanted to help her mom like she had done for her.

Although Ziva wasn't afraid of needles she allowed her daughter to hold her hand so that she could feel like she was helping. "That would be nice tateleh." She held out her hand to take as the doctor withdrew the blood. Once she was done she left with their blood and headed towards the lab to get started on the tests.

Moments later Tony walked in noticing the tired expression in his face. It was now around two thirty in the morning and no one had gotten much sleep. Ziva looked down and noticed that Francesca was finally sleeping. "Lila go with Abby?" Tony nodded. "I am glad hopefully she gets some rest."

Again Tony nodded in agreement wishing he were Lila at the moment. He desperately wanted to sleep. But with his daughter the way she was he doubted he would be getting any. "What did they say?" Tony asked pulling up a chair to the edge of the bed.

"They took both of our blood and the doctor said she was going to run some tests but that is all I know." Ziva informed him, reaching out her hand so that he could take it. He took it kissing the top of it and rubbing his thumb back and forth gently.

"That's good that they are going to check you too. It's not normal how sick you've been lately." He was glad that she had allowed the doctors to check out too because normally she would have shrugged it off and continued to be sick.

"I would not have told the doctor except that I threw up while they took Francesca's blood and she told the doctor that I had been sick as well. So I had no other choice." She sighed, the worry and exhaustion evident in both their eyes.

"Well still I am glad." They stayed quiet for a moment, looking into each other's eyes, until Tony broke the silence. "Get some rest. You need it."

"As do you. I will only sleep if you promise me that you will get some as well." She loved how caring Tony was of them but like her he too sometimes put aside his own health to care for them and in this moment she needed him to take care of himself as well.

"I will," he reassured her. But Tony knew that as tired as he was he would not be able to sleep. He was too worried about his family. He watched as Ziva closed her eyes and rested for a bit before the doctor came back with the results. Moments later he eyes began to close; he lay his head on the bed and closed them completely.

Half an hour later the doctor came in waking Tony so that he could wake Ziva. "I have done the blood tests for Francesca but I would like to run one more just to make sure that my diagnosis is correct."

"What is your diagnosis?" Tony asked the worry evident in his face and voice that this was something way worse than the flu or stomach bug.

"From all the tests we have run the signs show that it is appendicitis but I would like to run a CAT scan to confirm it." Both Tony and Ziva looked at each other afraid of that Francesca would have to have abdominal surgery. "I need to take her down to radiology. But meanwhile Dr. Barbosa will set you up in the adjoining room." Ziva kissed the top of her daughter's bed before untangling herself and following Dr. Barbosa to the adjoining room where she too would be hooked up to an IV. Tony kissed Francesca on her forehead as well before following Ziva and the other doctor.

They got Ziva into a hospital gown and hooked up to an IV. Tony grabbed a chair and situated himself by the edge of the bed away from all the monitors and IV.

Both were worried; appendicitis meant that they needed to remove the appendix therefore that required surgery. Tony could see how worried Ziva was as was he but she was sick and didn't need the added worry. He took her hand and rubbed it gently. "She'll be okay," Tony whispered to her. "She's a strong kid." Once again Tony made Ziva take a nap, while Francesca was getting a CAT scan, knowing if indeed Francesca needed surgery they would have a long day ahead of them.

An hour later Tony and Ziva woke just as the doctor was coming back into the room with Francesca. Seeing how serious the doctor he was worried that the diagnoses had been that or something worse. Not being able to wait any longer he spoke. "Does she need surgery?" Tony took Ziva's hand needing her support incase the doctor did give them horrible news.

"I'm afraid that the CAT scans do correlate with appendicitis and needs to go into surgery as soon as possible. We are just waiting for an OR to be cleared up." Both Tony and Ziva nodded, as they were unable to speak. "Now as for your results. I would like to speak with you privately." Hinting at Tony that he needed to leave the room but Ziva just held on to his hand tighter neither really wanting to leave.

Needing Tony's comfort and support she didn't want him to leave and the fact that he was her husband and had a right to know what it was she did or didn't have. "You can say it in front of Tony." She gave her verbal authorization of the release of confidential information.

"Okay, well your blood test showed that your hcg levels are elevated." Tony and Ziva looked at the doctor with a confused expression. What exactly did that mean? "Which means that congratulations, Mrs. DiNozzo you're pregnant."

Both didn't know what to say. They had not been expecting that whatsoever. But as the information began to sink in Ziva started to imagine another little DiNozzo running around the house with Lila and Francesca and the more she thought about it the more she liked the idea of a third child. "We will have to do an ultrasound to confirm how far along you are and to check to make sure everything is okay."

Shaking off the shock, Ziva pushed past the lump in her throat and spoke. "I would like to wait until Francesca is out of surgery." Ziva wanted to make sure Francesca was okay or at least in surgery until she allowed herself to take care of her needs.

"I understand. Soon someone will come to prep your daughter for surgery." Both nodded and the doctor left without uttering another word.

Once the shock had finally worn off, he let go of Ziva's hand and placed that hand on her stomach rubbing it gently. "So, we are having a baby." He stated the words the doctor had said. He was happy but shocked still.

Ziva nodded. "I know it was not planned and three children is a lot but-"

Tony cut her off before she could continue. He didn't want her thinking that he didn't want this because he did. He wouldn't trade what he had for anything in the world. "Yes three kids is a lot but you and I will get through this. We always do." He kissed the top of her head and looked in her eyes. "We can do this, okay?" Ziva nodded and kissed him on the lips. He got up from the chair and got in the bed with Ziva wrapping his arms around her.

"Thank you," she said and leaned her head on his chest breathing in his familiar scent that always seemed to calm her down. After a few minutes she looked up to him seriously. "Can we wait a while to tell the team? I want to enjoy it with just the two of us before we tell Abby because once she knows everyone will know."

"Exactly what I was thinking. Its always fun knowing something that Abby and probie don't. But all jokes aside I want to enjoy this for a while like you said. I also think we should wait to tell the girls." Ziva nodded.

Tony glanced down at his watch it was now four thirty in the morning and Francesca had still not been taken into surgery. There was no way they would be out of there in time for work and would be in no condition to work either. "I'm going to call Gibbs to let him know what's going on and hopefully he doesn't make us go into work today." He untangled himself and walked out to the hallway pulling out his cellphone.

"Gibbs," He answered after a couple of rings.

"Boss," Tony answered.

"This better be good DiNozzo." Gibbs said, wondering why Tony had woken him up at this hour.

"Boss Francesca's being taken into surgery and Ziva's still sick." He had lied about the Ziva thing because if he didn't he knew that Gibbs would make him go in and leave Ziva with the girls but he didn't want her stressing herself out especially with the news they had just received. "I don't think I can go in today."

"Don't worry about it DiNozzo. Take care of them and keep me updated." Gibbs told him before hanging up in his usual manner.

Tony put his phone back into his pocket before heading back into the room where he found his wife and daughter curled up in the same bed. For the first time since they had shown up at the hospital Tony had let out a smile and small chuckle. He swore that when he had left the room they had been in separate beds.

Tony walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it on Francesca's side, who seemed to be doing better but still looked pale and tired. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"Tired, daddy." She replied, her eyes drooping.

Tony placed a hand on her ankle rubbing it gently. "Don't worry you will feel better soon and be able to get some rest."

Dr. Gomez walked in just then, coming to prep Francesca before taking her into surgery. She checked her vitals and made sure everything was good before taking her towards the OR. But as they were getting ready to leave Francesca cried out for her mom. "Mommy I no wanna go." She was scared of not knowing what was happening to her. All she wanted was her mom. She didn't understand why she had to go.

"You have to go with the doctor, tateleh, they are going to fix you up so that you feel better. We will be right here waiting for you, yes?" Ziva bent over the bed railing to give her daughter a kiss on the forehead, as did Tony. They nodded to the intern and she wheeled her out of the room.

It had been about two hours and they still hadn't received any information on how Francesca was doing and it would probably be another hour or two before she was out of surgery. Realizing what time it was and that they had not had anything to eat but that chicken soup Tony headed down to the cafeteria to get them something to eat. Especially Ziva, she was now caring for two and it would do her no good to skip meals. He also made sure to get some tea for her and some coffee for him.

Much to Tony's surprise when he came back to the room. He found a sleeping Francesca, the doctor and Ziva in the room. She was informing them that the surgery had been a success and there wouldn't be any lasting complications. Francesca would need to be on bed rest for about a week and then she would have to come back for a check up to check on her progress and clear her for daycare.

Now that they knew that Francesca was okay and she was out of danger. The doctor, Emma, was insisting that Ziva get checked out by an OB to make sure that everything is how it needs to be. She needed to take care of herself and now that Francesca was out of harm Tony wanted her to get herself checked out. This wasn't only her health anymore it was also the baby's.

Dr. Emma paged OB so that she could come into the room. Shortly after the on call OB doctor made her way into the room bringing with her a portable ultrasound machine. Ziva smiled sending the doctor a thankful glance. Emma had asked the OB to bring a portable ultrasound machine knowing that would be easier than asking Ziva to head up to the OB floor and having to leave her daughter, who was fresh out of surgery.

Ziva lay on the bed, as the OB set up the portable machine, and took out the cold gel. "Okay can you lift up your shirt for me?" Ziva did as she asked lifting up the hospital gown under her bra, Tony taking her hand and giving it a tight squeeze. "Now I'm sure you know this already but I am going to apply the gel to your stomach and it is a bit cold." The doctor squeezed the gel onto Ziva's stomach and as the gel made contact she flinched on instinct. The doctor began to run the transducer over Ziva's stomach trying to find an image on the machine. It took a while and Ziva started to get nervous that there was nothing on the screen. But finally the doctor found the fetus. "Ah here we go." She froze the screen and zoomed in a bit so that they could see it a bit better. "There's your baby." She told them and they both stared at the screen intently. It was just so surreal. They couldn't believe that they would get to experience this for a second time. It would be a challenge for both of them. Dealing with a hormonal Ziva, her random cravings, and her change in attitude. It was going to be a hard nine months for Tony and now with two children to care for as well, which would change everything.

While the doctor was taking measurements she allowed Tony and Ziva to have a moment to soak it all in. "Okay well by the looks of it you are about 4 weeks along." She allowed them to take one last look before shutting off the machine. She handed Ziva a paper towel so that she could wipe off her stomach. The doctor jotted down some notes on Ziva's chart. "Do you have a regular OB that you will be seeing throughout your pregnancy?" Ziva nodded. "Okay before you leave I want you to write down your doctor's information in your chart so that I can fax her your file. I will also be giving you a prescription for prenatal vitamins." She wrote the prescription and handed it to Ziva as well as the ultrasound pictures she had printed for them.

"Thank you," Both thanked the doctor and headed back to Francesca's room. They were both so happy. The day had started out horribly but it had ended on a good note. Francesca was now out of harm and they had gotten the best news they could have received. For the sake of his sanity Tony hoped that this new baby would be a boy because he didn't know if he could survive in a house with four girls. Not that he wouldn't love the child just the same if it was a girl, he would, but he would need a boy on his side. A boy he could have a father/son day with while the girls had their day. A boy to take to games, sit on the couch and watch games, scream on the TV when the team would do something stupid and high five when they won. A smile crept on his face as he thought about his future. Yes Tony really hoped that the baby would be a boy.

Ziva noticing his smile stared at him accusingly. "What are you thinking about?"

"That this baby better be a boy or I will go crazy with so many girls." He told her with a smirk on his face.

Ziva couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Then for your health I hope that this baby is a boy as well." She rubbed her stomach and leaned up to give Tony a kiss. "I love you and I am so happy."

"I love you too." He kissed her back, cuddled on the bed as they watched their daughter, who was safe and in a blissful sleep.

**So how many of you were expecting that? I tried my best to disguise it with Francesca being sick. I hope it worked. Let me know if it did. Please don't forget to leave reviews. Also, let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas of what you would like to see happen. Thanks and have a good day. **


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